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January 23, 2004 – Columbus, Ohio – Physicians of the Ohio Joint Replacement Institute at the Ohio Orthopedic Center of Excellence are using a new high flexion system for total knee replacements, offering patients a greater degree range of motion and faster recovery time. Flexion is the action of bending a joint, such as your knee or elbow.
The NexGen® CR-Flex Fixed Bearing Knee system, designed and developed by Zimmer, provides a greater range of motion for patients who require deep bending for recreational, religious or other day-to-day activities.
Through this system, patients can achieve a range of motion up to 155 degrees. Degree range of motion refers to the amount a patient needs to bend the knee. Other knee replacement systems only accommodate up to a 125 degree range of motion. Many activities of daily living require good range of motion, such as climbing stairs (75-140 degrees) and sitting in a chair (90-130 degrees).
“Our patients today want to maintain an active lifestyle after a total knee replacement,” said Michael A. McShane, M.D., an orthopedic surgeon in the Ohio Joint Replacement Institute at the Center. “By offering the high flex knee system, we can provide a new option for our patients who suffer from osteoarthritis. We want them to be able to reclaim aspects of their lives that they value.”
Paul G. Melaragno, M.D., also an orthopedic surgeon in the Ohio Joint Replacement Institute at the Center, says the high flexion system also provides faster recovery time because a patient achieves a greater range of motion in a shorter amount of time than with other systems. Drs. McShane, Melaragno and John F.M. O’Leary, M.D, have begun regularly using this system and believe it to be the future of total knee replacement.
“As more orthopedic surgeons begin using this system, eventually, most total knee replacement patients will receive this high flexion system,” said Dr. Melaragno. “There is no benefit not to use a system that provides patients with a greater range of motion.” Patients should have good range of motion before surgery. Studies show that total knee replacement patients with good pre-operative flexibility will have a higher likelihood of maintaining their flexibility. With early diagnosis, and good preoperative flexibility, the high flex knee can allow patients to resume many of the physical activities they have come to enjoy.
Approximately 21 million Americans suffer from osteoarthritis, a degenerative joint disease that often follows a history of injury or overuse of a joint. Deterioration of the articular cartilage in the knees, often the result of osteoarthritis, causes bone to rub against bone. That friction causes symptoms such as a feeling of stiffness, moderate to severe discomfort, debilitating pain and eventual loss of motion. Approximately 266,000 total knee replacements are performed each year in the United States and, according to the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons, that number is increasing.
Zimmer, based in Warsaw, Indiana, designs, manufacturers and distributes orthopedic implants and related equipment and supplies. The company provides a broad range of joint replacement, fracture management and patient care products. Zimmer was founded in 1927 and has more than 3,600 employees worldwide.
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