Custom knee prostheses
Custom-made knee prosthesis: a step further?
The traditional knee replacement is now the universally accepted form of treatment for osteoarthritis and other advanced joint diseases. There are currently as many hip prostheses around the world.
Their functioning is generally excellent for the elderly and those who have little physical activity. Results are also good for more active people, but many patients say they “feel their knee a little too much, can't get over it”.
At present, traditional prostheses are adapted approximately to the size and shape of the patient's bones, choosing from a range of different sizes the one that seems most appropriate. Some parts are better suited than others. In the image below, we can see on the left a "traditional" prosthesis, where the pieces protrude somewhat from the bone frame, and on the right a custom-made prosthesis, which is perfectly adapted, because it was made in following exactly the bone relief of the patient.
We can also make partial prostheses, which replace only the damaged parts of the joint, leaving the healthy regions intact, as in the images below:
How are these prostheses made?
He must first make a scanner of the leg to be operated, with images on the hip, the knee and the ankle. These images are then sent to the factory, where 3-dimensional reconstructions by computer are carried out, as in the image below:
The implants are then shaped in polished steel (parts in white) and polyethylene (plastic; parts in yellow). These are therefore unique pieces that only correspond to a specific patient.