For years, orthopedic surgeons have cautioned knee replacement patients with the same warning – any implant can fail after years of use, and if that happens, it has to be revised. While that message is still true, the likelihood of a patient’s knee implant failing due to normal wear has been dramatically reduced thanks to a new procedure which is now being offered to patients at Thomasville Medical Center’s Total Joint Center by Dr. James L. Comadoll with RoMedical Orthopaedics in Thomasville. “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, pain-free lives,” says Dr. Comadoll. “Unfortunately, one of the major drawbacks for these physically active patients has always been the potential that they would wear out their implant. When that happens, a second surgery and recovery is necessary.”
Made up of three main parts, all total knee implants consists 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. In some cases, tiny particles of the plastic can accumulate in the joint resulting in a condition known as osteolysis, or the softening of the bone around the joint. When this happens, the implant may shift or loosen, which leads to pain and instability in the joint. Unlike other knee implants, made from cobalt chrome metal and a high-density plastic, VERILAST Technology is made from a proprietary metal alloy called OXINIUM™ Oxidized Zirconium and a highly cross-linked polyethylene. By combining these two low-friction materials, a knee implant with this technology can significantly reduce the kind of wear that can cause an implant to wear out before its time. In fact, extensive laboratory testing has shown some impressive results.
In addition to using the new procedure in his own practice, Dr. Comadoll has been very active in helping to train other surgeons across the country on its use as well. “The increase I’m seeing in younger patients isn’t unique to my practice, it’s happening everywhere. If I can take my clinical experience and use it to help educate another surgeons on the new options that are available, I am happy to do it.” “Physically active patients want to end their knee pain for good,” says Dr. Comadoll. “I want to offer my patients a knee implant that lasts and I’m pleased this technology has been wear-tested out to 30 simulated years for a market that views 10 to 15 years as the gold standard. This is not an incremental improvement; it’s a generational leap forward for active patients.”According to Dr. Comadoll, this makes perfect sense for a younger, more active patient because, “It offers them the pain relief they need, the mobility they want and the longevity they expect.” Other key advantages include that the surgeon uses the same implants and instrumentation they always have, so there is no learning-curve with this new technology, it’s hypoallergenic and the implants weigh 20% less than knee implants made from traditional materials.
To find out if you might be a candidate for this new knee technology being offered at Thomasville Medical Center’s Total Joint Center, please call RoMedical Orthopaedics at 336-475-0200.
