Methodist Hospital Offers New Knee Replacement Technology
By Monrovia Weekly
Published: Thursday, February 28th, 2008
Groundbreaking new technology allows surgeons to customize
implant size and fit for each individual patient
By Laura Nobles and Ann Azer
As part of its ongoing commitment to bring breakthrough medical advancements to the local community, Methodist Hospital has become the first institution in Southern California to offer custom fit total knee replacement with OtisKnee. Using OtisKnee, orthopedic surgeons can for the first time precisely match the size and placement of the implant to the patient’s unique and normal (non-arthritic) knee anatomy.
Developed by California-based OtisMed Corporation, this new “custom fit” approach with OtisKnee enables surgeons to preserve more bone and ligaments, allowing for better implant fit and alignment. OtisKnee physicians and patients have reported a quicker and less painful recovery, increased range of motion, a more “natural” feeling knee, and greater ease in performing normal living activities such as golfing, biking and gardening.
“I have seen a tremendous improvement in patient outcomes with the new custom-fit approach,” said Richard Vanis, M.D., a Methodist Hospital orthopedic surgeon who was first in Southern California to use the OtisKnee technique. “On average, recovery times have been cut in half, with patients able to walk without assistance at two weeks and requiring much less physical therapy than in the past. I’ve tried numerous new knee replacement technologies over the last few years, including computer-assisted surgical navigation, and in my experience nothing comes close to the results we’ve been able to achieve with OtisKnee.”
The custom fit total knee replacement with OtisKnee is achieved in a few steps, before and during surgery. Prior to surgery, an MRI is performed to take very precise measurements of the patient’s arthritic knee. Second, proprietary computer software creates a 3-D image of that knee, and then virtually corrects the deformity to return the knee to its pre-arthritic state. Third, a computerized 3-D image of the implant to be used in the patient’s surgery is then ShapeMatchedä to the anatomically correct virtual knee model. This helps determine the correct implant size and placement, based on the patient’s own normal (non-arthritic) knee anatomy. Last, using all of this information, special cutting guides are created for the surgeon to use during the procedure. These patient-specific cutting guides, which are accurate to within a few millimeters, indicate to the surgeon exactly where to make bone cuts so that the knee replacement is customized for the individual patient.
“My recovery from the OtisKnee procedure has been astounding,” said Arcadia resident Larry Johnson, the first patient in Southern California to undergo custom fit knee replacement. “Just two weeks after surgery, my physical therapist said I was doing as well as most patients at six weeks. I was off of my walker within two weeks, using the cane only occasionally for balance.”
About OtisMed Corporation
OtisMed Corporation is a privately held orthopedic technology company dedicated to providing new solutions for complex clinical problems in joint replacement. OtisMed’s focus is on developing and commercializing highly accurate and cost effective surgical solutions that are customized to each patient. OtisMed’s initial offering is the OtisKneeä, a groundbreaking new product that enables surgeons to offer custom fit total knee replacement. With OtisKnee, surgeons can for the very first time match the size and placement of the implant to the patient’s unique and normal (non-diseased) knee anatomy.
Founded in 2005, the company has received funding from Kleiner Perkins Caufield & Byers. For more information, call 1-888-OTISMED or visit www.customfitknee.com.
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