Total Knee Joint Replacement surgery has been evolving over the years. Knee Joint Replacement fails only in those patients where the alignment or balance is inadequate. Traditional Total Knee Replacement is done using alignment jigs and cutting blocks. Previously, surgeons used eyeballing to make bony cuts to balance the ligament. Computer navigation uses a software that helps the surgeon to outline the deformity, plan accordingly and perform bone cuts and ligament balancing with absolute precision.

THE CASE

Preetha, a 55 year old female from Bangalore had terrible pain in her knee for past 4 years. All this started after she had an injury 5 years ago. She started taking local treatment but her pain didn't subside, in fact it worsened. She was debilitated and could hardly perform her daily activities.

THE PROCEDURE

Dr. Sharma planned for a computer-navigated Total Knee Replacement surgery on the patient. Computer navigation helped in deciding the amount of bone cuts to nearest mm so that minimal bone was removed during Knee Replacement thereby facilitating bone preservation. Intramedullary canal was not violated, minimising the chances of fat embolism. The amount of soft tissue dissection needed using navigation was minimal, so blood loss was very less leading to faster rehabilitation.

Navigation helped in accurate alignment and sizing of the components on the table as well as perfect placement of the implants.

THE RESULT

Post-operative period was uneventful and the patient was able to move, the very next day without any pain. She could walk on the third day and was discharged on the fourth.

Dr. Mrinal Sharma
Consultant - Joint Replacement
and Arthroscopy
BLK Centre for Orthopaedics,
Joint Reconstruction
& Spine Surgery
BLK Super Speciality Hospital



Computer-navigated Total Knee Replacement offers absolute precision in taking the bone cuts: the surgeon can cross check on OT table and make desi rable changes.