New knee replacement offered at MMCH!
For years, orthopedic surgeons have cautioned knee replacement patients with the same warning – any implant can fail after years of use. While that message is still true, the likelihood of a patient’s knee implant failing due to normal wear has been reduced thanks to new knee implant technology, called Verilast.
Tristate Orthopaedic surgeons Thomas Carothers, MD and Nicholas Mirkopoulos, MD perform the procedure locally at MMCH.
“Every year, I see a growing number of younger, active adults who need to have their knees replaced so they can get back to their normal lives,” said Dr. Mirkopoulos. “Unfortunately, one of the major drawbacks has always been the potential that they could wear out their implant.”
Made up of three main parts, total knee implants consist of a plastic insert positioned between two metal components. Over time, the movement of the metal component sliding against the plastic insert can wear down the plastic and cause it to fail. When this happens, the implant may shift or loosen, which leads to pain and instability in the joint. By combining two low-friction materials made from a metal alloy called Oxinium and an improved high density plastic insert, the new Verilast technology is expected to last up to 30 years under typical conditions.
“Physically active patients want to end their knee pain for good,” said Dr. Carothers. “I’m impressed with these knee replacements because the technology has been tested to withstand 30 years of normal use for a market that views 10 to 15 years as the gold standard.” To learn more, talk to your doctor or schedule an appointment with one of the surgeons from Tristate Orthopaedics Treatment Center by calling (812) 934-6428. Patients are seen at MMCH’s Outpatient Rehab Center.
Reprinted from 2011 Winter Healthlines