Arizona Orthopaedic Associates Offers Cutting Edge Signature Knee Replacement Procedure

The Signature Knee offers Arizona Orthopaedic Associates surgeons access to a higher level of detailed information for positioning the knee implant and for aligning it properly before the procedure begins, thus reducing premature wear and ensuring a more accurate fit.

Phoenix, AZ, June 17, 2011 -- Arizona Orthopaedic Associates at Gateway is now offering patients an alternative to traditional knee replacement, introducing the Signature Knee replacement to Arizona.

The Signature Knee offers Arizona Orthopaedic Associates surgeons access to a higher level of detailed information for positioning the knee implant and for aligning it properly before the procedure begins, thus reducing premature wear and ensuring a more accurate fit.

Like the anterior hip replacement, which Arizona Orthopaedic Associates was the first in the state to perform, the orthopedic surgeons are heralding the Signature Knee procedure as a safer, more effective way to treat patients with knee problems.

“The Signature Knee replacement is more exact, a more custom-fit product for those who need knee replacements,” said Dr. William Salyer of Arizona Orthopaedic Associates. “Anyone can have the procedure done and probably everyone can benefit from it.”

Phoenix resident Carolyn Hunt has had both left and right knee replacements, with a Signature Knee procedure used most recently for her left knee. Hunt, who regularly plays the organ at her church and babysits her two grandchildren, said recovery time was important to her and the tailored Signature Knee procedure seemed the logical choice.

“I liked the idea of a custom fit knee replacement; it just made sense,” she said. “I was back playing the organ at church within a couple of weeks.”

While the Signature Knee does not reduce rehabilitation time, it does give patients a more precise knee replacement option by providing orthopedic surgeons with a custom cutting guide developed specifically for the patient on which they’re operating. Such precision allows for a knee replacement that allows a patient full mobility and maneuverability after it is performed.

“With a knee replacement, the first cut is the most crucial – it’s the cut that all other cuts follow,” Dr. Salyer said. “Make a mistake with the first cut and the knee replacement can wear prematurely. Of course, a skilled doctor draws on years of experience to make that first cut but the Signature Knee cutting guide takes the guesswork out of the equation for all surgeons.”

For patients who choose the Signature Knee procedure, the first step is to have an MRI performed on the knee in question. From there, the MRI scan is sent to Belgium where a specific cutting guide is manufactured for the patient. The MRI scan reconstructs the knee in three dimensions, with the angle, depth and rotation of cut fed into a CAD/CAM system that manufactures the customized cutting guide.

The cutting guide ensures a proper cut, which prevents a surgeon from getting the knee wrong, which leads to premature wear.

“With a Signature Knee cutting guide, I can look at preoperative images of what is going to happen before I make any cuts,” Dr. Salyer said. “I can look at the image and tell exactly what is going to happen. Then, when I make that first cut, everything else falls into place.”

For more information, please call 602.631.3161 or visit www.aoa.md.

About Arizona Orthopaedic Associates at Gateway
Arizona Orthopaedic Associates at Gateway is committed to excellence by pledging to provide the highest quality of orthopedic care possible. Along with the treatment of immediate or chronic problems, top-rated and board-certified orthopedic surgeons strive to integrate the doctrine of prevention in all treatment plans as a way to alleviate possible future difficulties.

Arizona Orthopaedic Associates at Gateway is committed to excellence by pledging to provide the highest quality of orthopedic care possible.

Contact:
Al Stevens
Arizona Orthopaedic Associates at Gateway
690 N. Cofco Center Ct, Suite 290
Phoenix, AZ 85008
480-235-1770
al@stevenspr.com
http://www.aoa.md

This release was published on openPR.