ABINGTON, Pa., Nov. 30 /PRNewswire/ -- Already renowned regionally for its minimally invasive hip and knee replacement surgery program, Abington’s Human Motion Institute is now offering the latest technology in knee replacement: computer assisted surgery.
A powerful digital imaging and information processing system displays a precise picture of the patient’s joint anatomy during surgery, ramping up the accuracy of the bone cuts and the placement of new replacement joints.
“The first goal of a knee replacement is for the rehabilitated patient to have pain-free or near pain-free function; the second is to have the joint last as long as possible -- ideally 20 years or longer,” says Orthopaedic Surgeon Andrew Star, M.D., director of Joint Replacement Surgery at Abington Memorial Hospital. “This system lends itself to minimal incision surgery. It helps the surgeon make more informed decisions -- we can see the size of the bone and understand the angles of the cuts via the computer -- instead of actually visualizing them.”
More specifically, this new technology assists surgeons by providing the following: a clear picture of the knee’s unique anatomy and function; infrared data transfer that transmits information instantly to establish natural positioning of the knee; enhanced implant alignment processes; and real-time, computer interpreted information displayed on screen.
This new technology can provide an even higher degree of surgical accuracy, precision and control than ever before. The Johnson & Johnson Company, which manufactures the Ci System used at Abington, estimates that this new technology could increase the accuracy of joint replacements by 20 percent.
Prior to using this technology, surgeons learned the accuracy of their cuts when they viewed the post-operative x-ray.
Abington Memorial Hospital is a 508-bed, regional acute care hospital with a medical staff of more than 800 physicians and 4,800 employees. These professionals provide medical care and health services to residents of Bucks, Montgomery and Philadelphia counties. A regional provider, Abington Memorial Hospital has the only Level II accredited trauma center in Montgomery County and offers highly specialized services in cardiac care, cancer care, maternal child health and orthopaedics.
Abington Memorial Hospital
CONTACT: Linda Millevoi or Beth Ann Neill of Abington Memorial Hospital,+1-215-481-8966
Web site: http://www.amh.org/