Assuta Hospital becomes the first medical centre in Israel in which custom-made transplantation of joints is performed
(NRG, 4/2/2011)

 

Assuta Hospital is the first medical centre in Israel which began implementing a new methodology for transplanting custom-made knee joints.  The process involves virtual surgery with the use of an MRI scan, in order to facilitate the medical procedure as well as the rehabilitation of the patient.

The new method should prove to be more accurate with the new bone being abetter fit to the body of the patient who is undergoing surgery.  Beyond improving the range of motion of the new joint, the method will reduce the friction that a new joint experiences as well as reduce the likelihood that a new joint would have in being removed in any future surgery.  In addition, the amount of infections and bleeding that a patient experiences will be less.

In surgeries which have been undertaken to date in this field, each patient received a joint which was not unique in nature.  Within each surgery, experience was gained by the respective performing surgeon in making the necessary adjustments to the new bone such as: size of the transplant, cutting-angle of the bone, the amount of bone which has to be replaced, and the manner in which the joint is finally positioned.

 

“Signature Knee” technology makes it possible for the surgeon to observe a three-dimensional image of the ankle, knee and thigh a few weeks prior to the surgery.  The image is sent to the company located in the United States of America.  The company then builds the joint which will ultimately be transplanted into the body of the patient.  

 

Dr. Vadim Benkovich, specialist for joint transplantation at Assuta Hospital, explained that until now the surgeon modified the joint to fit the body of the patient during the operation itself, according to the intuition of the performing surgeon.  “Modification of the joint in a predetermined fashion according to the dimensions of the patient allows for maximum precision which, in turn, leads to better results in the long run, whether it be in the daily functioning of the patient or be it in the amount of attrition that the new transplanted joint undergoes”, said Benkovich.