I have a particular interest in the OrthoGlide implant which has just received FDA approval in the USA as an alternative to partial or total knee replacement in selected patients. In fact I will be part of a group of physicians touring France and the UK in Spring of 2007 to present our findings.

The OrthoGlide implant is inserted within the knee joint to replace some of the cartilage function lost to osteoarthritis. The procedure requires significantly less tissue and no bone removal as other replacement options do.

We are trying to maintain a patient's natural knee as long as possible. And although we don't know yet if we'll be able to totally avoid a knee replacement, things are looking very positive with our early results. Patients report much quicker recovery times with less physical therapy than a partial or total knee replacement. They also experience pain relief and a good range of motion after undergoing the hour-long procedure. However, it is still too early to know for how long the implant will last and if these patients will still need the more extensive standard operation.

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Interpositional knee discs are implants that are intended to improve the alignment and function of an arthritic knee without removing any existing bone - an exciting concept! Current interpositional knee discs include the Unispacer and the OrthoGlide.

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