Custom Knee Replacement
Brand new and exciting alternative for the treatment of knee arthritis.
An alternative to traditional knee replacement.
A true custom, bespoke knee implant manufactured on a patient-by-patient basis so that it exactly fits that patients knee.
A resurfacing implant. Due to design improvements it is only 4mm thick meaning it is used to recoat the end of the thighbone, a true resurfacing in the weight-bearing zone. Traditional knee replacements require the sawing of approximately 8-9mm of the end of the thighbone to accommodate the thicker traditional knee replacement.
Custom knee replacement is a quantum leap in technology for knee resurfacing and replacement implants.
The manufacture time for a custom knee replacement is only 5 weeks.
The cost is only £1000 more than a traditional knee replacement.
The metallic components are a cobalt chrome alloy, the same material used in traditional total knee replacements.
New technology. The first patient specific custom knees from Conformis were implanted in UK in 2012 after development in the USA since 2002.
Three custom knee options are available
- Partial knee resurfacing (replacement)
- Two thirds knee or "Duo"- meaning two compartments out of the three that are in the knee
- Total knee replacement
Getting your Custom Knee - the 6 week process
1. Consultation with a trained specialist.
2. CT scan (to a specific protocol), images transferred to the USA.
3. Engineers reformat the CT into a 3D model of that knee and extract the surface topography
4. Implant manufactured and shipped along with patient specific implant positioning guides
5. Surgery and recovery.
Early outcomes promising, "feels like a normal knee"
Talking to USA surgeons with experience of over a 100 cases for a given surgeon, and the initial UK surgeons the early results are very encouraging.
Some early observations are that the new knee feels like a normal knee, moves like a normal knee and does not click or clunk. Pain relief is very good. One patient on being asked does it feel like you own knee replied "absolutely"- and at only 6 weeks post- surgery (Duo).
The design team are of the highest pedigree and the development process has been drawn out and exacting before release. However it is a new product and therefore does not have a long term track record and thus this aspect must be understood and balanced with the potential benefits
Knee weblinks
www.customkneereplacement.co.uk
www.meniscalimplant.co.uk
www.partialknee.co.uk
www.mrjameslewis.co.uk