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It's the first of its kind - a knee replacement system that allows joint to bend up to 155 degrees.
Following up on suggestions from the Japanese, Zimmer Inc. has designed and manufactured NexGen¨ Complete Knee Solution LPS-Flex Fixed Knee to accommodate a higher range of motion.
"This development was driven by colleagues in Japan, where they are frequently on the floor with their legs tucked up underneath them," said Sheryl Conley, vice president of Global Brand Management and Commercialization for Zimmer. "They needed to have super high flexion."
Of course, the design fits right into the lifestyle of physically active people in the United States - people who want to continue to garden, golf and play with their grandchildren on the floor. Sitting cross-legged, kneeling in prayer and squatting require deep bending, too.
Climbing stairs requires knees to bend 75 to 140 degrees, simply sitting in a chair and standing up again requires a 90 to 130-degree range of motion and squatting necessitates a bending of 130 to 150 degrees.
Generally, knee implants were designed to accommodate bending up to 125 degrees. This marked improvement was accomplished in part through research and clinical trials done at the Insall Scott Kelly Institute in New York.
"Zimmer's mission is to develop clinically successful joint replacements for use by highly skilled orthopedic surgeons," said Conley, a Warsaw native. "This enables physicians to provide the most appropriate implant solution for their patients' individual needs and expectations."
The Flex Fixed Knee is a result of nearly three decades of Zimmer knee replacement system design.
Development and manufacturing are done at the Warsaw facility in conjunction with surgeons around the world.
"Patients today are expecting to maintain an active lifestyle after a total knee replacement," said Giles R. Scuderi, M.D., an orthopedic surgeon at the Insall Scott Kelly Institute. "The LPS-Flex Fixed Knee offers a new option for those suffering from osteoarthritis to reclaim valuable aspects of their lives.
"The key to effectively treating knee problems is early diagnosis," Scuderi said. "With early diagnosis and good preoperative flexibility, the Flex Fixed Knee can allow patients to resume many of the physical activities they have come to enjoy, which is an important part of maintaining a desired quality of life."
The latest design isn't for everyone. The ideal candidate is one capable of fairly high flexion before surgery and one who is committed to the rehabilitation necessary to regain flexion. Factors such as weight and activity level also will be considered.
Total knee replacement patients with good preoperative flexibility will have a higher likelihood of maintaining flexibility.
Approximately 21 million Americans suffer from osteoarthritis, a degenerative joint disease that often follows a history of injury or overuse of a joint. Deterioration of the articular cartilage in the knees, often the result of osteoarthritis, follows a history of injury or overuse of a joint. Deterioration of the articular cartilage in the knees, often the result of osteoarthritis, causes bone to rub against bone. That friction causes symptoms such as a feeling of stiffness, moderate to severe discomfort, debilitating pain and eventual loss of motion.
"Whether the LPS-Flex Fixed Knee is the right treatment option for an individual will be based on a number of considerations," said Michael A. Kelly, M.D., a founding orthopedic surgeon of the Insall Scott Kelly Institute. "Such considerations include the person's activity level, weight, bone quality and if their arthritis is advanced enough for this treatment. Also, patients need to be committed to rehabilitation to attain the full benefits of the recovery."
In the U.S., approximately 266,000 total knee replacements are performed each year and that number is increasing, according to the American Academy of Orthopedic Surgeons. The LPS Flex Fixed Knee is considered to be an option for many of these patients.
The Flex Fixed Knee has been designed to overcome "edge loading." In other models, when the unit "rolls back" to bend, pressure builds on the tip of the component. The Flex Fixed Knee overcomes this difficulty and offers greater range of motion.
Conley said, "As we looked at the product, it's not only important for Asia, it fits wonderfully into the U.S. and Europe populations, which are healthier and more active in their older ages.
"But our key priority is to help people."
Zimmer was founded in 1927 and has more than 3,200 employees worldwide.
The company, based in Warsaw, designs, manufactures and distributes orthopedic implants and related equipment and supplies. The company provides a broad range of joint replacement, fracture management and patient care products.
