Patient specific implants and guides

The hip is a ball and socket joint which connects your thigh and hip bone. It is a crucial part of your anatomy that bears a large amount of force. Your hip may be subjected to injuries, damage, strains, inflammation, dislocation or fractures due to sports activities, overuse, falls and accidents.

Your damaged hip can be treated with total hip replacement, where the diseased part of the hip is replaced with prosthetic implants. Since each person is of a different shape and size, commercially available hip implants may not fit well enough to provide complete relief from disability. As a result, newer technology was developed to provide patient specific hip implants unique to each person’s anatomy.

This type of hip replacement surgery is termed as MAKOplasty Total Hip Arthroplasty. The technology helps your doctor make patient-specific 3D models of your hip and pre-plan the hip replacement surgery for better alignment and positioning of the hip implant.

Indications

Patient specific hip replacement surgery is indicated to treat inflammatory and non-inflammatory degenerative joint diseases, and restore your mobility and regular activities. The treatment is also used for the following:

• Pain while bearing on the affected hip
• Radiating pain in the groin, lower back and thighs
• Stiffness in the hip while walking
• Inadequate or no response to non-surgical treatment and medications

Procedure

Your doctor schedules a CT scan a week or 2 prior to the surgery to obtain images of your hip. Using these images, a 3D model of your hip joint is created. Using this information, your surgeon decides on the optimal placement of the implant.

The patient-specific procedure is performed with a robotic arm interactive orthopaedic system. On the day of the surgery, the implants are positioned in the body with the help of the robotic system. The robotic systems provide real-time images during the surgery which help your doctor control the position and alignment of the implant accurately. Accuracy plays a major role in the success of the surgery and life span of the implant.

Post-operative care

After the surgery your doctor will determine your stay in the hospital and prescribe physical therapy to help strengthen and improve range-of-motion in your hip joint.

Risks and complications

Like many of the major surgeries, MAKOplasty may also be associated with potential risks. Some of the risks are:

• Infection at the site of surgery
• Blood clots
• Fractures in the bones
• Wear and tear of the implant
• Irritation of the wound
• Allergic reaction to medications
• Heart attack, stroke or kidney failure