What is Total Knee Replacement?
A total knee replacement surgery involves replacing the damaged surfaces of the articulating bones with artificial implants. Most of these implants wear with use. Thus, the need for revision surgery is high if you are young and active, and if the implant must last your lifetime. Precise alignment can help extend the life of the implants and this can be achieved using computer navigation for total knee replacement surgery.
Indications for Total Knee Replacement
A total knee replacement surgery is the last resort to relieve pain and restore function in the knee that is damaged by arthritis or an injury when non-surgical treatments do not relieve the condition.
Computer Navigation for Total Knee Replacement
Computer navigation provides your surgeon with real-time 3-D images of your mapped knee and the surgical instruments during surgery. The data for the images is provided by infrared sensors fixed to the bones of the knee and surgical instruments. Their position is tracked by an infrared camera placed above the surgical table, which is connected to a computer. The computer then generates real-time images with the help of the appropriate software to guide your surgeon to precisely resurface and cut the bones of the knee, and fix the implant precisely and accurately according to the preoperative surgical plan.
The surgery is performed entirely by your surgeon. Computer navigation is just a tool to guide your surgeon and ensure accuracy. It cannot replace the skills of an experienced surgeon.
Advantages of Computer Navigation for Total Knee Replacement
Computer navigation for total knee replacement has the following advantages:
- Allows accurate positioning of the knee prosthesis in relation to the mechanical axis of the leg
- Accurate alignment helps lower the rate of wear and tear and improves longevity of the implants
- May improve soft-tissue balancing
- Offers better functional outcome
- Lower loss of blood
