Microport for Hip Replacements

Hip replacement surgeries are very common.  Many people experience numbness and weakness after the surgery.  New technology may be able to eliminate this with a new technique called Microport.  

Doing an anterior approach has become a popular way to do hip replacement surgery.  The anterior approach was designed to preserve the muscles that prevent dislocation of the hip post surgery. During surgery, an incision is made over the cup and the hip is typically dislocated. This allows for the ball to be cut off easily before putting the implant in. Although, by doing the incision over the cup, it makes it harder to see the ball part of the hip.  

Dr. Matt Seidel has come up with a way to avoid this.  He has developed a technique where a cannula, a thin tube, can be placed through an incision in the groin.  The advantage to moving the incision allows the surgeon to clean out the cup without having to put an incision right over it. This approach avoids dislocation of the hip during surgery by cutting the ball off first and then removing it from the socket.  

Microport also provides a lower risk of cutting sensory nerves, which would cause numbness.  It moves the procedure away from the femoral nerves that lower the chances of weakness even further.  Doing a more natural incision allows for fewer wound complications and reduces pain levels by quicker healing.  

If you are interested in this technique, contact Health Vantis and we can connect you to a surgeon trained to do this technique at 877-344-3544.

Health Vantis

877-344-3544

www.healthvantis.ca

New Digital Device for Knee Replacement Physiotherapy

Physiotherapy after a knee replacement is absolutely essential for a successful rehabilitation.  A new digital support device is currently being developed to assist in this.  It is a mobile app  that will make information about the knee available to the physiotherapist.  It will allow them to closely monitor the progress and amend the rehabilitation plan accordingly.  

The technology is designed for the patient to wear the device on their ankle after surgery.  It links to their smart phone to analyze the range of knee movement progression and any pain associated with it.  The information is sent to the physiotherapist to give them a clear picture of the patients’ progress and any issues they may be having.  Patients are also able to bring any concerns to their physiotherapist via the app from the comfort of their own home.  

Trials are currently being done and the hope is to streamline the recovery process so be looking for more information in the coming months!

 

Health Vantis

877-344-3544

www.healthvantis.ca

Dreal- New Spinal Technique

A new technique called Dreal was developed for posterior unilateral thoracic discectomy.  Dreal is a curved high speed drill that assists in thoracic discectomies.  It removes disc material that can normally be difficult to access, quickly and thoroughly, providing a large clean bony surface for the discectomy.  This reduces removing too much bone and results in a better outcome.

This procedure also allows for the removal of calcified and soft disc fragments without manual maneuvers.  In traditional surgeries, this would require forceful maneuvers done manually by the surgeon, which could manipulate the spinal cord.   By eliminating that, it improves patient outcomes, reduces complication rates and allows for safer treatment of thoracic disc herniations. The design also allows easier, safer access for the surgeon to reduce the chance of trauma, resulting in a better outcome for the patient.  By being able to quickly and precisely remove the bone, operating time is reduced.  This in return reduces complications and/or infection.  

While this is still a fairly new technique and not available in Canada yet, it is available in the US. Contact us for details to find out if you are a candidate for this kind of procedure at 877-344-3544.

 

Health Vantis

877-344-3544

www.healthvantis.ca