Personalization
Each patient is unique and our Solutions and Experience provide the Personalization pathway for each individual to live better
The content of this website has the sole purpose of information and in no way replaces professional medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. Always consult a qualified medical professional for anything related to any condition.
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The knee is the joint connecting the leg to the thigh. It is made up of three bones: the femur, the tibia and the patella (or kneecap). In a healthy knee, the bones are covered with articular cartilage. This protects the bone and facilitates sliding between the joint surfaces when the knee is flexed. Cartilage gets worn down both over time and with use. The femur and tibia are connected by ligaments, which stabilise the joint and very powerful muscles move it and are connected to the bones by tendons. Menisci are small fibrocartilage pads that act as shock absorbers and cushion the contact between the femur and the tibia.
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One of the body’s largest weight-bearing joints, the hip is where the thigh bone meets the pelvis to form a ball-and-socket joint. The hip joint consists of two main parts, the Femoral head – a ball-shaped piece of bone located at the top of your thigh bone, or femur and the Acetabulum – a socket in your pelvis into which the femoral head fits.
Bands of tissue, called ligaments, connect the ball to the socket, stabilizing the hip and forming the joint capsule and large muscles support the joint and enable movement. The joint capsule is lined with a thin membrane called synovium and fluid-filled sacs called bursae provide cushioning where there is friction between muscle, tendons and bones.
Hip problems occur when any one of these components starts to degenerate or is in some way compromised or irritated.
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Osteoarthritis is the most common joint disease characterised by degenerative and chronic wear and tear of the articular cartilage.
In knee osteoarthritis, the cartilage of one or more bones in the joint gradually wears out and eventually disappears. This degeneration leads to direct contact between the bone surfaces beneath the cartilage, causing acute mechanical pain. Such pain makes it difficult to move the knee, as well as to sleep, and gradually contributes to a very significant deterioration in the patient’s quality of life.
Patients who have osteoarthritis of the hip sometimes have problems walking. Diagnosis can be difficult at first. That’s because pain can appear in different locations, including the groin, thigh, buttocks, or knee. The pain can be stabbing and sharp or it can be a dull ache, and the hip is often stiff.
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Total knee replacement is one of the most common surgical treatments and aims to replace any bone and cartilage worn out by osteoarthritis through the insertion of a prosthesis. Prescription and implantation of a knee prosthesis are carried out by an orthopaedic surgeon and the implantation eliminates the pain associated with osteoarthritis and significantly improves knee mobility. The knee prosthesis is made up of the femoral component (metal), the tibial component (metal), the polyethylene tibial insert (plastic) and the patella component (plastic) which is not always required when fitting a prosthesis.
The components of a total knee prosthesis are made from biocompatible materials and must comply with the tests and requirements demanded by the standards in place.
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In a total hip replacement, the damaged bone and cartilage is removed and replaced with prosthetic components: The damaged femoral head is replaced with a metal stem that is placed into the hollow center of the femur, a metal or ceramic ball is placed on the upper part of the stem, which replaces the damaged femoral head and the damaged cartilage surface of the socket (acetabulum) is replaced with a metal socket. Screws or cement are sometimes used to hold the socket in place. A plastic, ceramic, or metal spacer is inserted between the new ball and the socket to allow for a smooth gliding surface.
Patients who need a total hip replacement generally feel localised pain in the area of the groin. This pain can be debilitating in everyday life and at night, often disturbing peaceful sleep patterns.
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The surgeon has to choose the best combination of size, position and alignment for the prosthesis. There are standard prosthesis which are common and average in shape and have a range of standard sizes and usually the implant sizes do not completely match the anatomy of the patient. In the case of a custom prosthesis, your joint anatomy is modeled in 3D using CT scanner and designed and manufactured specifically for you.
The Origin® knee prosthesis is designed to restore your knee to its preosteoarthritic condition, allowing you to regain your mobility and return to a normal life.
The Custom Hip™ is made to exactly reproduce the patient’s native hip joint anatomy, offering improved outcomes over standard implants in patients who are young, particularly active or considered ‘high demand’.
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The anatomy of the knee is complex and varies greatly from one individual to another. Several scientific studies show that the alignment of the leg and the shape of the bones are related to its function. When fitting a knee prosthesis, it is therefore essential to be able to restore the very specific shape of the knee, in order to be able to regain function and mobility that are as natural as possible. Standard prostheses means that the surgeon has to adapt the patient’s ligaments to the prosthesis to ensure joint stability and accept compromises in terms of the prosthesis’ shape that may increase the risk of postoperative pain or limit the patient’s mobility. The Origin® custom-made prosthesis accurately reproduces the shape and contour of your knee and the prosthesis adapts to you and not the other way around.
In regards to hips, the operating surgeon will advise patients of the options available to them, including whether a custom hip implant would be a suitable option. Although there are some choices about the material a standard hip implant is made from, particularly at the bearing surface, a standard implant doesn’t offer any scope to be tailored to fit the actual shape of a patient’s hip joint, what we call their anatomical requirements.
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- Scan of your joint
A CT scan is performed according to the Symbios protocoll and then sent to Symbios for initiation of your custom made prosthesis. - 3D analysis of your joint and design of your custom prosthesis
Drawing on 30 years of expertise in the design of custom-made prostheses, Symbios engineers analyse your joint in 3D and design a prosthesis that is perfectly adapted to your individual anatomy. - Approval by your surgeon
Your surgeon will receive the 3D plan and design proposal for your custom-made prosthesis, so that they can check its dimensions and technical specifications. Once it is approved , Symbios begins the manufacturing of your prosthesis. - Manufacture of your custom prosthesis and custom-made instruments
Manufacturing your custom-made prosthesis is a complex process, the components of your prosthesis are machined using metal or polyethylene preforms and custom-made single-use instruments are manufactured using 3D printers.
- Scan of your joint
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Navigation during hip surgery has the same purpose like navigation in a car: To reliably reach your destination – and thus reduce complications.The process:
1. Digital planning
The orthopedic surgeon plans the operation as usual with the help of the X-ray image.2. Navigated hip surgery
The Naviswiss navigation system helps the surgeon during the operation to insert the prosthesis as planned with great accuracy. The more precisely the prosthesis is inserted, the longer its service life and the lower the risk of complications.3. Documented result
Finally, the results of the navigation are also used for quality control and documentation of the operation. -
Just like in a car the driver, in hip navigation the orthopedic surgeon determines the destination before starting. The navigation system helps the surgeon to reach this destination during the operation. On the way, he has the possibility to deviate from the route at any time or to head for a different destination due to special individual circumstances. View the animation ›The process:
1. Referencing
The surgeon temporarily fixes two NAVItags measuring trackers by means of small punctures on the pelvic crest and on the femur. These serve to measure the anatomy.2. Navigation
When inserting the acetabular cup, the navigation system now shows the exact angle. This allows the orthopedic surgeon to decide on the optimal orientation.3. Documentation
When inserting the hip stem, the navigation assists in adjusting the optimal leg length. Alignment and leg length are finally documented with a detailed surgical report.
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- Preoperative medical check-up
Before the operation, your doctor will prescribe a medical check-up, will need a complete list of current medications and it is strongly adviseable to perform a preoperative dental check-up to prevent the risk of infection originating in the teeth and mouth, which can be a source of postoperative infection. - Preparing for your return home and home care
During the first few weeks, having support for everyday tasks such as washing, cooking, housework, shopping, etc. will be very useful. If you do not have a home support network, you may want to consider going to a rehabilitation facility or care home while you recover. - On the day of the operation
Your doctor will give you specific instructions and hospitals surgery procedures will be followed accordingly. Surgery will take approximately 1 to 2 hours. - After the operation
Recovery rates vary from patient to patient and you will be supported throughout all the stages of the rehabilitation process in order to regain your mobility as quickly as possible.
- Preoperative medical check-up
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Upon returning home, you should stay active, but be careful not to do too much, too soon.
In order to maximise the life span of your new joint, make sure you follow the instructions given to you by your surgeon and respect these simple rules to avoid potential complications:
- Maintain a healthy weight
- Stay active and healthy
- Avoid excessive physical activity
- Go for regular health check-ups
And above all…
Enjoy life with your new joint!