| Allegan General Hospital announced today the purchase of a Stryker Navigation System for total joint replacement surgery. This new technology is a computer guidance system for total joint replacement surgery that offers significant clinical benefits to both the surgeon and the patient.
Allegan General Hospital is one of the first hospitals in West Michigan to have this cutting edge technology, which allows patients to receive total joint replacement procedures with the potential to have a higher degree of accuracy supporting the overall function of the prosthesis.
“Navigated total joint replacement is an extremely successful way to treat qualifying patients with severe knee or hip pain,” said Dr. Mark Warner, Orthopedic Surgeon. “The new surgical navigation technology that we have in place greatly enhances our ability to restore range of motion, overall function and return patients to normal activity.”
The Stryker Navigation system uses an infrared camera and instruments along with unique tracking software to continually monitor the position and alignment of the implant components in relation to the patient’s anatomy. Smart Active wireless instruments send data pertaining to the kinematics (movement) to the computer.
The computer analyzes and displays data on a computer monitor in the form of charts and graphs that supply the surgeon with the angles, lines, and measurements needed to accurately align the prosthetic knee or hip with the patient.
“It’s like having a GPS System in the operating room,” said Dr. Warner. "With it, we have the opportunity to give a patient a new knee/hip that has increased strength, stability, and range of motion, even in difficult anatomic situations."
The technical advances of the navigation system ultimately mean an improved joint replacement for the patient. The system assures proper alignment by fitting a prosthesis to within a fraction of a degree. This translates into improved patient satisfaction through reduced post-operative pain, shorter hospital stays, fewer complications, and improved joint stability for the patient. In addition, patient safety is increased by reducing surgery time.
Total joint replacements have usually been reserved for patients aged 60 or older. Younger patients have been anticipating technologies that make them candidates for total joint replacement procedures utilizing computer assisted technologies.
The Stryker Navigation system will be used in total knee arthoplasty (TKA) and total hip arthoplasty (THA) surgeries performed at Allegan General Hospital each year. TKA/THA is usually recommended for patients with severe knee/hip pain and disability caused by damage to cartilage from rheumatoid arthritis, osteoarthritis or trauma.
Allegan General Hospital is a community hospital that provides a wide range of healthcare services, including surgery, diagnostics, emergency, and inpatient services.
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