Advances in Knee Replacement: Partial Knee Replacements
I recently returned from observing at a course given by a device manufacturer concerning partial knee replacements. The course is given because the FDA mandates that for the company to sell the replacement to a surgeon the surgeon has to take this course. It is a 16-hour course. It does not qualify you to put in the replacement. It does not give you any skill you did not have before. It exists because of FDA rules concerning new products and their safety.
I bring this up because I saw this on a web site of an Orthopaedic Surgeon: "Dr. X is the only surgeon FDA-certified to put in the XXXXX partial knee replacement."
This, of course, is not true. It actually could be an offense punishable by the Office of Professional Medical Conduct because the FDA does not certify surgeons to put in replacements. They can only certify the sale or distribution of the implant.
What certifies a surgeon to put in a partial knee replacement? Last year I personally implanted over 125 partial knee replacements. According to the sales department of the device company whose implants I choose, this puts me at approximately number four in the nation for this particular implant. In fact, the number of partial knee replacements I personally implanted surpassed the combined number of the four largest medical centers in NY. Maybe, maybe not.
As previously noted here in this blog, surgical quality does have a connection to surgical volume. It is not direct and it is not absolute, but there is a connection. Of all the joint replacement procedures that have gained popularity in the last 25 years, a partial knee replacement demands a high level of surgical skill and experience. When I operate at a regional medical center and teach residents (surgeons in training) I commonly inform them that "the hands can only do what the mind knows." In other words, it is what you don't know that can hurt you.
Partial knee replacements have many advantages in the right patient. The recovery is faster and the results, from a patient satisfaction point of view, are consistently better than total knee replacements. It is crtical, though that the surgeon has the experience in doing the surgery. Do not be afraid to ask the following questions:
Don't be afraid to ask the obvious.
Dr. K.
Related Topics:
Technorati Tags: partial knee replacements, unicompartmental knee replacements, knee resurfacing
I bring this up because I saw this on a web site of an Orthopaedic Surgeon: "Dr. X is the only surgeon FDA-certified to put in the XXXXX partial knee replacement."
This, of course, is not true. It actually could be an offense punishable by the Office of Professional Medical Conduct because the FDA does not certify surgeons to put in replacements. They can only certify the sale or distribution of the implant.
What certifies a surgeon to put in a partial knee replacement? Last year I personally implanted over 125 partial knee replacements. According to the sales department of the device company whose implants I choose, this puts me at approximately number four in the nation for this particular implant. In fact, the number of partial knee replacements I personally implanted surpassed the combined number of the four largest medical centers in NY. Maybe, maybe not.
As previously noted here in this blog, surgical quality does have a connection to surgical volume. It is not direct and it is not absolute, but there is a connection. Of all the joint replacement procedures that have gained popularity in the last 25 years, a partial knee replacement demands a high level of surgical skill and experience. When I operate at a regional medical center and teach residents (surgeons in training) I commonly inform them that "the hands can only do what the mind knows." In other words, it is what you don't know that can hurt you.
Partial knee replacements have many advantages in the right patient. The recovery is faster and the results, from a patient satisfaction point of view, are consistently better than total knee replacements. It is crtical, though that the surgeon has the experience in doing the surgery. Do not be afraid to ask the following questions:
- When did you perform your first partial knee replacement?
- How many have you performed in the past month?
- Can you show me documentation that the number you said you performed is accurate?
- How many have you performed in the last year?
- Can you show me documentation that the number you said you performed is accurate?
- What is the most common knee procedure that you do?
- Can you show me documentation that the number you said you performed is accurate?
Don't be afraid to ask the obvious.
Dr. K.
Related Topics:
Technorati Tags: partial knee replacements, unicompartmental knee replacements, knee resurfacing



