Advancements in technology have fueled tremendous progress in joint replacement procedures in recent decades, dramatically improving patient outcomes and satisfaction.
For specialists like Endeavor Health orthopaedic surgeon Alex Gordon, MD, there is always room for continued improvement and a quest for perpetual progress to deliver the highest level of care for hip and knee replacement patients.
Innovation in hip replacement
An expert in anterior approach hip replacement, Dr. Gordon has continued to refine the less-invasive approach to most accurately reconstruct the biomechanics of the hip.
“My focus now is being more granular with the parameters for reconstruction,” said Dr. Gordon, who leverages the latest technology to deliver precise levels of accuracy when inserting the titanium device into the femur in a hip replacement procedure.
Using an advanced mechanical impactor tool to hammer the device in place provides a consistent force that limits variability and decreases the potential for excess force that can cause complications. “I’ve learned how to develop a new tactile feel for the tool and can use it very effectively,” said Dr. Gordon.
Advanced software and intraoperative imaging are also further refining biomechanical parameters during the replacement procedure that eliminate potential problems leading to leg length inequality. “Using this technology allows me to eliminate outliers, I come out of every operation with the exact technical specs that set the groundwork for excellent patient outcomes,” said Dr. Gordon.
Integrating both the software and the impaction tool into the surgical workflow allows for the kind of meticulous results that give patients the best outcomes, added Dr. Gordon.
Innovation in knee replacement
The latest technology for robotic total knee replacement procedures includes new 2.0 software that provides enhanced data for ligament tension that is used to assess the stability of the knee during the operation. Dr. Gordon and colleagues began using the new software side by side with the previous software last year to confidently integrate the updated metrics.
“The new software allows you to assess the deformity of the knee and the ligament tension before you make any cuts in the OR [operating room],” said Dr. Gordon. “It’s really outstanding and has provided huge improvements, reducing pain for patients and decreasing the time it takes for them to return to full range of motion after surgery.”
A CT scan maps the knee joint in surgery and new data provides exact targets for ligament balance, leading to perfectly precise replacements. “We are reducing the outliers and patients with unstable or misaligned knee replacements, and our patients’ expectations are being exceeded,” said Dr. Gordon.
“I have patients coming in three weeks post-operatively telling me it was so much easier than they expected and wanting to schedule their other knee replacement,” said Dr. Gordon.
The continued enhancements of robotic technology will help experienced specialists like Dr. Gordon push boundaries and improve outcomes in total and partial knee replacement in the future.
“These technologies can be very expensive and it’s gratifying to be at a system like Endeavor Health with an Orthopaedic Institute that allows us to offer our patients the very best,” he added.
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