A Truly Personal Knee Replacement скачать в хорошем качестве

A Truly Personal Knee Replacement

Everywhere you look computers are changing the landscape of modern life. Now, high tech medicine is moving from research labs to patient’s legs. “What has allowed this ConforMIS custom knee to happen is 3D technology. We now have printers that can create the exact shape and then it can be made in real time on a 3D printer,” says Dr. John Fifer, who is an orthopedic surgeon on medical staff of Lee Memorial Health System. Traditional implants are prefabricated in basic size groups. Surgeons pick the best fit and make it work. Only it doesn’t work too well for everyone. “Some of the sizes were very clunky and large in certain diameters; didn’t really match women as well as men. Women make up about 65% of the knee replacements done,” says Dr. George Markovich, who is an orthopedic surgeon on medical staff of Lee Memorial Health System. Using 3D imaging, doctors create a virtual map of a patient’s knee, essentially duplicating its shape and size. That data is sent off for production on a 3D printer. The end result is a truly personal implant. “This is the only knee that is actually customized to that patient’s anatomy. Truly individually matched,” says Dr. Markovich. Best used on patients with limited damage or deformity, their new knee may be worth the month-long wait. “It feels more normal, it gives them a more normal gait pattern,” says Dr. Fifer. Another upside: the artificial joint comes with custom cutting guides that simplify surgery. “There’s less bleeding, there’s less surgical time, there’s advantages you see right off the bat,” says Dr. Markovich. Patients come away with a one-of-a-kind knee that should carry them comfortably into the future. View More Health Matters video segments at leememorial.org/healthmatters/ Lee Memorial Health System in Fort Myers, FL is the largest network of medical care facilities in Southwest Florida and is highly respected for its expertise, innovation and quality of care. For nearly a century, we’ve been providing our community with everything from primary care treatment to highly specialized care services and robotic assisted surgeries. Visit leememorial.org