Technology plays an important role in the progress that has been made in the treatment of musculoskeletal disorders and Orthopedic Surgery.
The latest developments in shoulder arthroplasty and the new data change the way we think so far, optimizing the final result in the patient.
What is shoulder arthroplasty?
It is the replacement of worn joint surfaces of the shoulder with artificial implants fully compatible with the human body. It is indicated for quite painful diseases such as advanced osteoarthritis, overwhelming fractures of the upper arm and in cases of significant degree of rupture of the shoulder tendons in older people.
Similar to similar operations on the knee or hip in shoulder arthroplasty, the cartilaginous surfaces of the head of the arm and the scapula are replaced in order for the patient to have a fully functional limb with a painless movement during the performance of his daily activities.
What are the latest developments?
Overall, shoulder arthroplasty is divided into two main stages. The first concerns the preoperative planning of the operation and the second refers to the placement of the implants during the surgery.
With a simple examination such as a computed tomography of the shoulder we get all the information we need for the particular anatomy of the joint at the design stage. The data is then processed with the help of special software, where we will finally draw with 3D imaging systems the exact position where we want to place the implants during the surgery to have the desired result. At the same time, using special parameters, with the method of virtual reality, we represent the calculated movement of the patient’s upper limb at all levels, making the necessary corrections on a case-by-case basis so that before the operation begins we know exactly the final position to be placed. implants.
In the second stage, which concerns the surgery, we try to place the new artificial parts of the joint exactly as we have planned. Important help is provided by the intraoperative navigation (navigation) as well as the combination of the virtual reality of the preoperative planning with the real time navigation systems (mixed reality). With the full knowledge of the necessary surgical techniques and with the latest technological possibilities that are now offered to us, the placement of the implants is done with absolute precision in the position that we have chosen as the most suitable based on the particular anatomical structures of each patient.
What is the benefit to the patient with the use of new technologies in shoulder arthroplasty?
It should be understood that each new assist system does not eliminate or replace the experience and knowledge of the specialist Shoulder Surgeon. To date, the operation was performed with methods that could not predict the final result before surgery and without intraoperative control to find the optimal position when placing the materials.
On the other hand, it is not possible to lag behind in new technologies and data that are now offered to us. In this regard, the use of newer systems contributes significantly to the success of shoulder arthroplasty, offering an even result that translates into increased durability of materials placed in the long run, reduced postoperative pain, faster mobilization with greater range of motion of the joint, reduced and overall higher patient satisfaction rates.
Writes:
Antonogiannakis Emmanuel
Orthopaedic Surgeon
Director of the 3rd Orthopedic Clinic HYGEIA
Follow Skai.gr on Google News
and be the first to know all the news
.
