3D printed knee replacement

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IaDave

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Does anybody have any experience with a 3D printed knee. My OS is now starting to use this but I haven't had a chance to discuss with him since my surgery is not till July.
 
Interesting! Who/what company makes them? Does he make them himself? (Unlikely on the latter.)
 
They're made by Conformis.
They're supposed to be good, but so are many other brands of knee replacements.

And success with any knee replacement depends less on the brand than it does on the skill of the surgeon who is implanting them.
 
And success with any knee replacement depends less on the brand than it does on the skill of the surgeon who is implanting them.
The paramount aspect of the TKR is not the implant, but the true skill and knowledge of the surgeon performing it.

Select and trust the best possible surgeon.
 
I know this is the latest, cutting edge development but personally, I'd want to be about 200th in line for it at least and then to have to 2 year statistics on them before I would have one!
 
Does anybody have any experience with a 3D printed knee. My OS is now starting to use this but I haven't had a chance to discuss with him since my surgery is not till July.
@IaDave
I agree the surgeon is most critical. The implant doesn't do the surgery. I'll also repeat what my veteran OS says. It's (Conformis) an easier surgery for the surgeon, recovery for patients is easier and quicker, and maybe it will last longer or function better for some. I have two knee replacements that both work fine. One is a Conformis 3D knee and the other an off the shelf implant. I work out a lot. I can't say either is better at this point in time. But, the early recovery was much easier with the Conformis as predicted by my OS.


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If you watch a video of a Conformis TKR implant being installed it looks just as traumatic as any other TKR surgery. There looks to be plenty of opportunity for OS error in installing the cutting guides, making the cuts, balancing the ligaments, etc . I would definitely want an experienced OS regardless of the implant being used.

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As the others have said, you need a surgeon who is experienced and skilled in doing knee replacements. The publicity apart, knee replacement hardware types are all very similar. It is the skill of your surgeon that will be the most important factor.
 
I have complete trust in the surgeon as he has done both of my hips and now I'm on to the knees. His PA told me he does around 400 hips/knees a year. I think the 3D knees is something new for him so by July he should be up to speed on that procedure.
 
My surgeon gave me two Stryker Triathlons; my incisions were only about 7"-8", and I had my surgery in 2007. His skill is amazing, and I trusted him to take care of me---his knowledge of what my lifestyle was (and is) as well as my medical needs---and his knowledge and awareness of the company---and I am going great to this day. No computer-aided surgery, but I can go for days without thinking that my knees are 53 years younger than me.

I am very glad that you are very happy with your Conformis knees and that you reclaimed your lifestyle, but there are many of us who are equally as happy with our knees---Stryker, Smith and Nephew, DePuy, and Zimmer to name a few.
 
Hmmm... I had what they called a computer guided implant- the implant and all of the instruments for the surgery were made from a CT of my leg... I suspect that this is even more cutting edge? I'll ask my surgeon when I see him to clarify.

Very interesting- hope to read more as you get more info about it.


Heather
Left knee, 11/30 TKR
 
Hmmm... I had what they called a computer guided implant- the implant and all of the instruments for the surgery were made from a CT of my leg... I suspect that this is even more cutting edge? I'll ask my surgeon when I see him to clarify.

Very interesting- hope to read more as you get more info about it.


Heather
Left knee, 11/30 TKR

From what I have read about it I think we are talking the same thing.
 
3D printed knee
I had what they called a computer guided implant- the implant and all of the instruments for the surgery were made from a CT of my leg
From what I have read about it I think we are talking the same thing.
Then it's not a 3D printed knee. The measurements are taken from the MRI and a pattern is made using CGI. This is then fed to the machine that manufactures the implant by traditional means. It's not exactly 21stC cutting edge as it's been around for about 20 years!
 
I know this is the latest, cutting edge development but personally, I'd want to be about 200th in line for it at least and then to have to 2 year statistics on them before I would have one!

According to Reuters in Google Finance more than 30,000+ and counting knee implants have been done which I think suffices as more than enough.
 
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This article from July 2015 indicates the 3D technology is still in its beginning stages. I imagine the next decade will see some significant advances that involve the 3D technology. But it is still new enough that it's not for everyone.

@trailspud......please post a link to the data you are quoting.

You all may be misunderstanding what Jo has written. The computer guided technology has been around for some time. It is not necessarily the same as 3D. While the 3D process uses computer guided technology, not all computer guided technology involves patient specific tools and jigs created on a 3D printer. It's the 3D printer part of the process that is new and still relatively untested in terms of how well the implant works over time.

@IaDave .... if you trust your surgeon and he is doing a lot of these procedures then you are probably going to do just fine.
 
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I had a ConforMIS knee installed last year and will be getting another in a few weeks.
My surgeon has been using "patient specific implants" for a long time and has an excellent reputation.
As others have said, the skill of the surgeon is most important.
That being said, I had a good recovery and was back at work in 8 weeks.
Full recovery still takes 6 months to a year.
Best of luck to you!
 
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