Orthopedic Surgeon Uses GPS to Improve Total Knee Replacement Surgery

Knee replacements last longer with precise alignment technology

At first, her knee didn’t bend correctly. Then pain began piercing her. Overtime, that pain grew more and more debilitating. After four years of hobbling through the hurt, Glenna Simon, 57-year-old Zanesville resident, could no longer carry her groceries from her car to her home. She couldn’t make it down the stairs to do her laundry. Her quality of life dramatically decreased, while her constant pain continued to increase. It was time for a change. It was time for a new knee.

When cortisone shots and gel injections stop working

“I couldn’t put any weight on that knee and it refrained me from doing a lot of activities – it was a damper on my lifestyle,” Glenna said.

Prior to her total knee replacement surgery, Glenna sought relief from cortisone shots and a series of gel injections, to no avail. When she made the decision to have surgery, a physician referred her to Corey Jackson, D.O., orthopedic surgeon with the Genesis Orthopedic Group.

Choosing the right orthopedic surgeon for knee replacement

“Dr. Jackson was kind and understanding, and he took the time to explain everything to me,” Glenna said. “He told me, ‘We’re going to get through this.’ I loved how he was down-to-earth and easy to speak with. I decided this was the doctor for me – and I’m so glad I did.”

Being close to home, the office visits were convenient for Glenna. Dr. Jackson obtained standing X-rays of Glenna’s knee and diagnosed her with severe end-stage osteoarthritis, caused by wear and tear over time.

“When a knee gets to that point, there’s not much that can be done except a total knee arthroplasty procedure – a knee replacement,” Dr. Jackson said. “The good news is, we use cutting-edge technology to give our patients the most accurate placement of their knee prosthetics, and the prosthetics themselves have evolved tremendously during the past decade.”

Using smart technology for precise knee joint placement

Dr. Jackson is the only surgeon offering the KneeAlign® technology in our region. KneeAlign applies smart technology, like GPS navigation, to precisely map out each patient’s alignment and anatomy. With the device, Dr. Jackson provides patients with customizable positioning of their knee replacement components.

“We know knee replacements last longer if they’re aligned correctly with a patient’s anatomy,” Dr. Jackson explained. “KneeAlign provides precision every time. With the technology, I know for sure that the knees have perfect alignment – giving my patients the best knee replacement available.”

Praised amongst orthopedic surgeons nationwide, KneeAlign offers many benefits, including:

• Increased accuracy
  Decreased surgery time
  Less blood loss
  Less pain
  Longer lasting knee replacements

Rehabilitation therapy is important after knee surgery

Glenna’s total knee replacement surgery took place in mid-November. She spent two days at Genesis Hospital before returning home for further healing. Within two weeks of the procedure, she bid her walker goodbye and graduated to a cane. She also underwent rehabilitation therapy at home before beginning a three-times-a-week outpatient rehab regiment at Genesis Center for Occupational and Outpatient Rehabilitation.

“The rehabilitation therapy is intense, but you have to be consistent with it for it to work for you,” Glenna said. “It’s definitely worth it to be out of pain and to get my life back.”

On average, it takes about six months for a full recovery, so Glenna’s not tackling stairs yet, but she says she sees the light at the end of the tunnel, and she’s walking toward it – without pain.

“Our goals with total knee replacement surgery are to help our patients become pain-free and have increased function. We want them to get their lives back,” Dr. Jackson said.

Dealing with joint pain? Glenna offers her advice

“I know it’s a hard decision to make when you know what you have to go through. It was hard for me to make that decision, too,” said Glenna. “But if you really want relief and want to do things you’re unable to do now, I suggest having the surgery and getting it done as soon as possible. Why put yourself through the pain of just dealing with a bad knee when you can get back to enjoying life again?”