I
replace about a thousand knees a year and treat each one as
a unique case when restoring the joint's normal range of
motion and stability. Soft tissues guide me to how the knee
was positioned before the degenerative effects of osteoarthri-
tis changed the bone alignment. Based upon how the knee
moves with all the muscles, ligaments and tendons intact, I deter-
mine how the native knee was aligned, and adjust placement of the
implant to match it. I've developed micro-shims to move the knee
around by minute amounts — up and down, right and left, back and
forth. After I place the implant and put the knee through an entire
range of motion, the joint's surface areas remain in perfect contact
throughout. This leads to a more stable joint, which results in less
pain for the patient and better post-op function.
5 2 • O U T P A T I
E N T S U R G E R Y M A G A Z I N E • O C T O B E R 2 0 2 0
Finding the Right Fit for Knee Replacements
Understand the keys to delivering successful
outcomes with the newest generation of implants.
PERFECT FIT The key to a superior knee replacement
is to match it to the location of the original, pre-
arthritic knee.
Richard A. Berger, MD | Chicago
Pamela
Bevelhymer,
RN,
BSN,
CNOR
