Knee Replacement Boosts Mobility, Physical Ability in Patients
Summary
Nagi Scale is based on the performance of tasks deemed the highest level of physical functioning, such as walking and strength training.South Nassau is one of just a handful of hospitals in the United States to combine minimally-invasive knee replacement with a revolutionary image guided medical technology system.### Oceanside, NY, April 24, 2009 --( PR.com )-- A study published in a recent issue of Arthritis and Rheumatism found that knee replacement is effective at restoring the mobility and physical functioning of the knee and relieving patients of the irrepressible pain and significant restrictions on quality of life caused by osteoarthritis.The study, conducted by a team of researchers from Duke University, is based on data culled from Medicare Current Beneficiary Surveys from 1992-2003 that focused on the outcomes of 259 patients who received knee replacements and 1,816 patients with osteoarthritis who did not receive a knee replacement.The study grouped patients according to baseline level of functioning (the joint’s normal level of functioning prior to medical treatment, therapy, and/or surgery), demographics, and co-morbidities and used the Nagi Disability Scale (a widely accepted permutation of the World Health Organizations approach to classifying disabilities), Instrumental Activities of Daily Living Scale (IADL), and the Activities of Daily Living Scale (ADL) to assess their physical ability.The patients who did not receive a knee replacement continued to decline in overall physical functioning.“Our approach is to provide the most effective and efficient options that will allow patients to return to the lifestyle and activities or their choice,” said Craig Levitz, MD, Chief of Orthopedic Surgery and Director of South Nassau Communities Hospitals Center of Advanced Orthopedics.South Nassau is one of just a handful of hospitals in the United States to combine minimally-invasive knee replacement with a revolutionary image guided medical technology system.The system puts together all of the information coming in from the patient and the instruments and tells the surgeon where the cuts should be made.In standard knee replacement surgery, the surgeon must implant the replacement components – a metal and plastic platform atop the shinbone and a metal surface on the bottom of the thighbone – so that they rub together at precise angles to prevent premature or excessive wear of the implant.