SwiftPath Knee Surgery
A SwiftPath total knee replacement combines patient education, state-of-the-art minimally invasive surgery (MIS) techniques, non-narcotic pain control, and post-surgery online patient monitoring. This method helps patients heal faster, recover with less dependence on narcotics, and get back to the life they want to live. 90% patients who undergo SwiftPath’s minimally invasive knee surgery can expect their new knee to last more than 10-15 years. However, depending on the patient’s age, health, and level of activity, it’s possible that they will need a second replacement surgery before then. Patients should discuss the likelihood that they will need additional surgery with their orthopedic surgeons and develop a treatment plan accordingly.
SwiftPath Secret
The SwiftPath method cannot guarantee that a patient’s knee will last for 10-15 years, but it can guarantee that the knee replacement will last as long as possible. SwiftPath’s patient education includes pre- and post-surgery care and exercises that help limit the chances of injury to the new knee that could cause it to deteriorate more quickly. Minimally invasive surgery also speeds up recovery time which limits the window for re-injury even further. Minimally invasive surgery uses smaller surgical instruments, causes less damage to soft tissue, and uses gentler methods to allow for easier recovery and a better range of motion after surgery. For instance, in traditional knee replacement surgery, surgeons made a standard 12-inch incision to reach the knee – MIS techniques allow surgeons to make a 4-inch incision instead which causes less traumatic tissue damage, reduces inflammation and pain during recovery, and lessens the likelihood of infection greatly.
New computer navigation technology is also utilized in minimally invasive surgery techniques to provide real-time 3-D imaging that helps guide the surgeon during surgery. The 3-D imaging also acts as quality control and confirms the accuracy of the surgeon’s cuts. This is a technique that is often used by neurosurgeons and that has been adapted to allow orthopedic surgeons to place implants more accurately and align the patient’s leg correctly. Since navigation is less invasive it decreases the need for large, exploratory cuts, which helps speed recovery and reduce the risk of infection.
The more quickly a patient recovers, the less stress and damage they can inflict on their new knee joint as it is healing, which will keep it in place and healthier longer. Limiting the risk of infection that can weaken the knee joint also increases the likelihood that a patient will be able to enjoy their knee replacement for a longer period of time. When the SwiftPath method is followed by patient and surgeon alike, knee replacement surgery is much more likely to be a once in a lifetime experience.
For more information on SwiftPath knee surgery, contact us today at 907-644-6055.
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