HIP ANATOMY
ARTHRITIS
HIP REPLACEMENT
COMPUTER ASSISTED TOTAL HIP
WHAT TO EXPECT ON SURGERY DAY
POST OPERATIVE CARE
HIP REHABILITATION
NON-SURGICAL ALTERNATIVES
LIFE AFTER HIP REPLACEMENT
Hip arthroplasty, as it is officially known, involves the replacement of the ball and socket joint -- the ball is the round-tipped, uppermost portion of the femur, and the socket, known as the acetabulum, is a forward-positioned, cup-like indentation in the pelvis. Hip arthroplasty has been practiced worldwide for decades, and has been refined to the point where hundreds of thousands of people who undergo it every year are returning to a life of pain-free mobility.
During the procedure, the surgeon removes this top portion of the femur, replacing it with a metal stem with a ball on one end. He also frequently replaces the acetabulum with a metal and a polyethylene (plastic) cup.
Computer-assisted surgery helps surgeons obtain the most accurate implant alignment and position by providing them with an advanced convergence of multiple medical technologies. Smith & Nephew’s computer-assisted hip replacement software helps surgeons visualize bony structures beyond what they can easily see through the incision and it helps them take critical measurements throughout the procedure that are not possible without the assistance of computers.
Before beginning the procedure, the surgeon helps the computer locate specific anatomic landmarks and to take critical measurements of the patients anatomy. Once the computer has this basic information, it can track the precise position of the patient’s leg and pelvis, the implant, and the surgeon’s instruments at all times during the procedure.
Throughout the procedure, the computer provides constant feedback and information to the surgeon. Do not fear; your surgeon is in charge and does the work. The computer simply puts together all of the information coming in from the patient and the instruments and tells the surgeon where the precise implant position should be.
Given that every patient’s bone geometry is different and a patient’s physical position on the operating table may change during the procedure, this level of real-time, patient-specific, computer-guided accuracy is unprecedented in the history of hip replacement surgery.
A surgeon armed with these tools has the potential to achieve better outcomes. And as computer-assisted total hip replacement surgery evolves, surgeons will be better able to perform less invasive procedures due to the enhanced visualization of the surgical site.
Already, many surgeons have reduced the length of the required incision by as much as 75-percent without the assistance of computer guidance. However, by incorporating Smith & Nephew’s exclusive software and instruments, your surgeon may be able to maintain or even further reduce this less invasive incision while increasing the accuracy and overall success of the procedure.
A smaller incision made during hip surgery means less muscle is cut and less blood is lost. In turn, this leads to shorter hospital stays and shorter rehabilitation for patients. The benefits to the patient include:
"Arrays" are metal prongs with small reflective spheres at their extremities. These devices attach to the surgical instruments and to the patients pelvis and femur. Once they are fixed in place, their positions in space are tracked throughout the procedure. That way, the computer will know exactly where the instruments are in relation to the patient’s bones, based on where the spheres are at any given second.
Click the image below to view a movie showing instrument arrays...
(REQUIRES WINDOWS MEDIA PLAYER, DOWNLOAD HERE)
The camera emits infrared light that reflects off the spheres connected to the arrays. It collects this reflected infrared light, and sends the information about the location of the source of the reflection (the spheres on the arrays) to the computer.
Click the image below to view a movie showing camera used in computer assisted surgery...
(REQUIRES WINDOWS MEDIA PLAYER, DOWNLOAD
HERE)
The computer receives information about where the spheres are in space, and combines that data with digital images of the patient’s anatomy and three-dimensional virtual images of the orthopaedic implants and surgical instruments.
Click the image below to view a movie showing the computer used in computer assisted surgery...
The software displays the virtual images of the instruments, implants, and bones on the computer screen, and guides the surgeon through each step of the procedure. The software alerts the surgeon when the instrument is in the most accurate position to make the ideal cut. Also, it guides the surgeon as he determines where to best position the acetabular component in the pelvis.
Click the image below to view a movie showing the software used in computer assisted surgery...
