Signature Knee Replacement Offers Patients a Customized, Cutting Edge Option at Arizona Orthopaedic Associates at Gateway

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The Signature Knee gives Arizona Orthopaedic Associates surgeons access to a higher level of detailed information for positioning the knee implant and for aligning it properly before the procedure begins, thus reducing premature wear and ensuring a more accurate fit.

Phoenix, AZ, January 28, 2013 - (PressReleasePoint) - Arizona Orthopaedic Associates at Gateway is now offering patients an alternative to traditional knee replacement, introducing the Signature Knee replacement to Arizona.

The Signature Knee gives Arizona Orthopaedic Associates surgeons access to a higher level of detailed information for positioning the knee implant and for aligning it properly before the procedure begins, thus reducing premature wear and ensuring a more accurate fit.

Like the anterior hip replacement, which Arizona Orthopaedic Associates was the first in the state to perform, the orthopedic surgeons are heralding the Signature Knee procedure as a safer, more effective way to treat patients with knee problems.

“The Signature Knee replacement is more exact, a more custom-fit product for those who need knee replacements,” said Dr. William Salyer of Arizona Orthopaedic Associates. “Anyone can have the procedure done and probably everyone can benefit from it.”

Patricia Spriggs of Phoenix has elected for the Signature Knee twice - in 2010 for her right knee and in 2012 for her left knee - and says she recommends the procedure to people contemplating knee replacement surgery.

“I would sing the praises of it,” she said. “I’ve been very pleased with the functionality of the knee - actually amazed as it healed. My replacement joints were custom fit for my body. How can it get any better?”

Like Spriggs, Phoenix resident Carolyn Hunt has had both left and right knee replacements, with a Signature Knee procedure used most recently for her left knee. Hunt, who regularly plays the organ at her church and babysits her two grandchildren, said recovery time was important to her and the tailored Signature Knee procedure seemed the logical choice.

“I liked the idea of a custom fit knee replacement; it just made sense,” she said. “I was back playing the organ at church within a couple of weeks.”

While the Signature Knee does not reduce rehabilitation time, it does give patients a more precise knee replacement option by providing orthopedic surgeons with a custom cutting guide developed specifically for the patient on which they’re operating. Such precision allows for a knee replacement that allows a patient full mobility and maneuverability after it is performed.

“With a knee replacement, the first cut is the most crucial – it’s the cut that all other cuts follow,” Dr. Salyer said. “Make a mistake with the first cut and the knee replacement can wear prematurely. Of course, a skilled doctor draws on years of experience to make that first cut but the Signature Knee cutting guide takes the guesswork out of the equation for all surgeons.”

For patients who choose the Signature Knee procedure, the first step is to have an MRI performed on the knee in question. From there, the MRI scan is sent to Belgium where a specific cutting guide is manufactured for the patient. The MRI scan reconstructs the knee in three dimensions, with the angle, depth and rotation of cut fed into a CAD/CAM system that manufactures the customized cutting guide.

The cutting guide ensures a proper cut, which prevents a surgeon from getting the knee wrong, which leads to premature wear.

“With a Signature Knee cutting guide, I can look at preoperative images of what is going to happen before I make any cuts,” Dr. Salyer said. “I can look at the image and tell exactly what is going to happen. Then, when I make that first cut, everything else falls into place.”

For more information on Arizona Orthopaedic Associates at Gateway, please call (602) 631-3161 or visit www.aoa.md. Find out more about Arizona Orthopaedic Associates on Facebook at www.facebook.com/aoaatgateway and Twitter at www.twitter.com/aoaatgateway.

About Arizona Orthopaedic Associates At Gateway:
Arizona Orthopaedic Associates at Gateway strives to improve the quality of life of our patients and their families through outstanding orthopaedic care. Arizona Orthopaedic Associates at Gateway is committed to excellence by pledging to provide the highest quality of orthopedic care possible. Along with the treatment of immediate or chronic problems, top-rated and board-certified orthopedic surgeons strive to integrate the doctrine of prevention in all treatment plans as a way to alleviate possible future difficulties.
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