Usually you have two bones
that make up the joints.
So for example the knee joint.
You have the femur and the
tibia and the bones and the
joint are lined with cartilage.
That's what lets the bones glide
against each other and arthritis that
cartilage has become damaged or worn down.
Unfortunately,
we don't have a way to repair the cartilage.
The cartilage has a very
unique complex architecture.
So when the cartilage has been
severely damaged to the point
that pain is causing a decrease
in in a patient's activity,
then the next step would be
a total joint replacement.
So total joint replacement is
when we replace the surfaces where
the cartilage has been broken down
or worn out and we replace it with
metal or plastic or ceramic surfaces.
Everyone's anatomy is unique,
so the shape of your bone is going to
be different from everyone else's.
So you would want to put the implants
in specifically for you so that.
Surgery is customized specifically for you.
I take a high resolution CAT scan or
MRI and I create a 3D representation of
your joint. From that 3D representation,
I'm able to model different implant sizes
and positions and orientations in your knee,
and I'm able to select the optimal
position of those components and then
construct 3D printed custom instruments.
Before your joint.
The way it's been done is that
surgeons have used different alignment
orientation guides during the surgery
and we know that they're not as precise or
accurate during the surgery than
if you use this technology.
We know that patients who have
had these custom instruments.
Day after surgery, say that the
knee or hip feels more natural.
They require less blood
transfusions after surgery,
that their pain is less.
We know that there's fewer
readmissions to the hospital
using these instruments,
so there are big differences
in terms of patient outcomes.