Healthy Knee Healthy Knee Introduction Common Causes of Knee Pain Knee Replacement Surgery Risks of Knee Replacement Surgery Benefits of Knee Replacement Surgery Surgical Alternatives to Total Knee Replacement Computer Assisted Knee Surgery The Right Knee Replacement for You: How Does Your Surgeon Select It?

Computer-assisted surgery helps the surgeon align the bones and joint for accuracy not possible with the naked eye. This improved revolutionary technique promises improved alignment, ligament balance and potentially longevity for total knee replacement and improved knee joint stability. The Styker surgical Navigation system is the most advanced system of its kind in the area. Dr. LaButti first worked with the system during fellowship with Orthopedic Surgeon and designer Dr. Ken Krackow on the first generation in 1999. Dr. LaButti performed the first computer assisted knee surgery in Tulsa in May of 2004.

The two main variables attributed to a successful knee replacement are proper alignment and balance of the knee ligaments. This system greatly minimizes, or in some instances, completely eliminates those variables.

The Stryker knee surgery navigation system uses an infrared camera and markers along with unique instruments tracking and software to continually monitor the position and mechanical alignment of the implant components relative to the patient’s knee anatomy. Smart wireless instruments send data pertaining to the knee kinematics (movement) to a computer. The computer analyzes and displays kinematic data on a computer monitor in the form of charts and graphs that supply the surgeon with the optimum angles, lines and measurements needed to align the prosthetic knee with the patient.

Can you achieve similar results with out the machine? The answer is yes. One of the benefits of doing a fellowship in total joint replacement is learning how to balance and align the knee and the importance of it. Having the computer may take 15 minutes off surgery time, but well trained physicians have been doing this for years with excellent results.