Orthos have an aide in I-Assist

Chennai: A new technology named ‘I-Assist’ is now being used to personalise and support knee replacements in the city.

“This revolutionary device helps orthopedic experts align the new knee joints more accurately and gives the best possible fit during surgery, “says orthopedic surgeon Dr A.K. Venkatachalam, who performed this procedure on a 55-year-old woman in Chennai.

The ‘I-Assist’ not just assists the surgeon in aligning knee implants to each person’s unique anatomy but also provides a personalised fit and tailor made total knee replacement. “The outcome is very predictable as perfect alignment is achieved intra operatively. This electronic device incorporates latest guidance technologies into a half palm sized electronic display.

Some of these technologies are also inbuilt in latest smart phones.

The LED lights on the display are similar to traffic signals. A green light means the position is acceptable and a red one indicates scope for improvement. Thus the surgeon can align and validate implant positioning during total knee replacement,” he explains.

This is a less invasive procedure and it benefits young patients who are undergoing total knee replacement, he said.