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Computer Knee Navigation

Jan,25,2010 12:17 Filed in: Knee Replacement
I’ve always been very skeptical of computer navigation in total knee replacement. While it makes sense that computers in the OR could help us place the parts more accurately, in practice, these systems have been cumbersome, time consuming, and haven’t been shown to produce any improvement in outcomes. The extra equipment is very expensive and required additional pins to be put into patients bones to guide the computer.

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I’ve recently started using a system that produces custom molds made from an MRI scan of the knee. The molds are made before the surgery and guide the placement of the knee replacement. The molds are extremely accurate, require less time than a standard total knee and also allow us to place less instruments in the knee - not more. While the MRI and the molds are expensive, we do see some cost savings in less time in the OR and less instruments that need to be sterilized. The benefit to the patient is a custom fitted knee and less time in the OR. Not every patient is a candidate, and some insurers are resisting paying for the molds, I think this new procedure is going to be very helpful.

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