New technology making joint replacement surgery easier

Last Update: 10/20 5:19 pm

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GREAT BEND, Kansas -- It's estimated that more than 770,000 Americans have knee or hip replacement surgery each year. Now a new surgical technique available in central Kansas makes the operation and healing process not as painful.

Joint replacement surgeries are becoming commonplace across the country. A challenge in knee replacements is getting the joint to balance correctly after surgery.

“If you put them in absolutely right, you're going to have a balanced knee, which is good for 20 years,” said Dr. Ramjan Sachdev, CKMC orthopedic surgeon. “If the knee is too loose when you go up and down steps, it might wobble. Then you have 20 years of that wobble.”

But there's a piece of technology called the "ortho pilot" that allows for much more accurate surgeries. It's long been the gold standard for joint replacement surgeries in Europe and is now becoming more widely used in the U.S. CKMC in Great Bend is the first hospital in Kansas to put the ortho pilot into practice.

“The unique thing about this technology is it's the only one that allows gap balancing -- real time,” said Dr. Sachdev. “So you're able to plan your surgery before you make the cuts.”

When the surgeon prepares for the operation, a small incision is made in the joint, and a tracking device is inserted, providing real-time feedback about the operation on this camera screen.

“Using the technology gives you a safety margin and then you're very sure you've got it lined and balanced the way you want to,” Dr. Sachdev said.

Better balance means less pain and discomfort for the patient after surgery and during their physical therapy.

CKMC is currently conducting training on the ortho pilot system and hopes to begin using it next month.

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