Difference Between Mechanical Knee Replacement And Kinematic Knee Replacement

Those who’re experiencing remorseless knee pain for a few months or years- and nothing seem to alleviate the pain; it may be time to consider a total knee replacement. When it’s time to research your options for total knee replacement surgery, you’ll come across traditional or mechanical alignment and kinematic knee replacement.

Everywhere, take any fields, the debate is always the same. “We do it the traditional way since its safe and that is the way we have always done It.” the new ways are not time tested. And, we don’t know what exactly it is.”

In medicine and surgery, no matter what the advancements may be, these arguments are always used to delay the magnanimous march toward efficiency and quality. We already know the answer—but the road to it is full of potholes.

You may be familiar with a mechanical alignment of knee replacement, so let’s start with that one first.

What is mechanical alignment of a total knee replacement?

When you have total knee replacement surgery (also known as a total knee arthroplasty (TKA)), an implant will be placed where your knee is to replace, what’s worn out and give your knee a second life. A mechanically aligned TKA places the implant in an “average” position for all patients.

Unfortunately, not everyone’s knees and bodies are alike; a mechanically aligned total knee replacement often changes the natural alignment of both your knee and your leg itself. In the last decade or so, many studies have questioned the strive to mechanical alignment of knee may pose some problems related to ligament misbalancing that could explain the high rate of disappointed patients, almost 20–25%, in several reports. According to current orthopaedic research, patients with mechanically aligned total knee replacements also complain of pain, stiffness, and instability despite having the surgical intervention.

So How Does Kinematically Aligned Approach To Knee Replacements Differ From Mechanical Knee Replacement?

Kinematic alignment is a departure from the normal paradigm of how a standard knee replacement is performed. Kinematic alignment considers the 3D alignment of the components with respect to the knee instead of the 2D alignment of as in the case of mechanical alignment. They developed an instrumentation system that complemented the implant by permitting the ligaments to function under normal tension during the full range of motion, which lessened stresses on motion interfaces and fixation.

In this innovative insertional technique, no longer are they placing the knee in a position that we formally considered “average,” rather they are restoring the knee to the most natural position for its ligament and muscular structure. In kinematic alignment, the implant is custom positioned right on the joint line of your knee to help naturally align your knee with your implant. Moreover, kinematically alignment uses caliper measurements to adjust the position of the implants to within 1/2 of a millimeter. These adjustments are much more precise than navigational and robotics instruments, which are used to perform mechanic alignment.

Kinematically aligned TKA also restores natural pre-arthritic joint lines of the knee. The procedure allows the knee to go in the range of motion the way nature meant and most importantly, patients who have had this after conventional knee replacement say it feels like a normal knee and less artificial. The kinematically aligned patients reported considerably better function and bending of the knee when compared to patients who chose a traditional alignment. The kinematically aligned TKA patients also reported that their knee returned back to normal, reasonably quickly after surgery. So good news is you’ll enjoy a shorter recovery time i.e. you will be driving a car within a month of surgery.

Moreover, they are also minimally invasive surgical procedure a very low risk of complications and with a low risk of infection. The kinematically aligned TKA surgery itself is short and typically takes less than 1 hour. The patients will be able to walk within 12 hours. What about readmission rate? Remarkably low.

More good news is, it matches the life of conventional knee replacement and may be longer. That indicates this investment in your knee will last just as long, if not longer, than traditional methods.

When it comes to having a total knee replacement, the choice is now quite clear. And, now you have a better idea of the differences between a mechanical alignment and a kinematically aligned one, there’s one more thing you’ll need to figure out: finding the right surgeon.

Locate A Surgeon With Experience

While some surgeons have experience with mechanically aligned knee replacements, not all surgeons have the knowledge and skill to perform a kinematically aligned one. That’s why it’s important to choose a surgeon with experience handling this type of procedure specifically. Selecting the right surgeon is what makes all the difference.

Rathi Med, a multi specialty hospital for Orthopaedic and Obstetrics & Gynaecology services is located in Anna Nagar, Chennai. The hospital also provides effective services in paediatrics, general medicine & surgery and also attends to medical emergencies. As a center for Joint Reconstruction, the hospital specializes on Artificial Joint Replacement Surgery of Hip, Knee joint replacement India, Management of Arthritis and Arthroscopic & Sports Injury Management, Spine Injury. kinematic knee replacement in chennai is performed only at Rathimed Hospital in the Indian subcontinent.