If you are a candidate, you may be able to benefit from a less invasive knee implant system that utilizes the most advanced instrumentation available.  Although the instrumentation is advanced and the technique has been refined, the procedure builds on what has been proven to work in the past.

A company named Smith & Nephew has developed a minimally invasive total knee system that utilizes the same basic surgical approach that most surgeons learned in the early years of their training. This technique is not about making major changes to what has worked in the past, it is simply an evolution of existing and proven procedures.

Additionally, the Smith & Nephew minimally invasive system utilizes an implant with a long and proven clinical history. By taking this approach, your surgeon is able to provide you with all of the benefits of the latest total knee replacement advancements as well as the benefits of a long clinical history and a surgical approach that has stood the test of time.

The two things that have changed in order to enable a minimally-invasive solution are:

1. New Smith & nephew surgical instruments are smaller, more precise, and more efficient

2. New surgical technique refinements allow the procedure to be performed effectively through a smaller soft tissue "window"

The positive improvements for patients are significant. The smaller cut, a 60-percent decrease in length, means there is less trauma to underlying muscles and to the soft tissues around the knee. As a result, pain from the surgery is greatly reduced, allowing for less dependence on prescription pain medication and a faster return to physical activity.