During the surgery two areas of cartilage defects in the knee joint were repaired at the same time - the first one including the lesion on the surface of the medial femoral condyle and the second one in the area of the medial femoral sulcus. The procedure was performed by a team composed of Rafał Sotowski, MD, Artur Stolarczyk, MD, PhD, Piotr Stępiński, MD, PhD, and the operating room assistant Katarzyna Skwarczyńska, MA.
The implants and individual surgical instruments of this type were prepared on the basis of a previously performed magnetic resonance imaging of the knee joint. This ensures that the implant is individually fitted to the shape, location and size of the existing lesion. This, in turn, allows to repair only the site of the damage, without the need to replace the entire joint or its bigger part.
The MRI test allows for patient-dedicated preparation of both the surgical instruments - including guides and implants closely matched to the shape of the articular surface, which allows for shorter surgery time and precise placement of the prepared implants. The patient is a 52-year-old female with the knee joint pain, which has made it difficult for her to move around for a long time.
The MRI scan revealed a focus of chondromalacia on both the medial femoral condyle and the intercondylar sulcus. Therefore, two separate implants were prepared for the patient to replace the diseased foci. Limiting the size of implants only to the areas of cartilage defects allows for early and faster rehabilitation and reduced hospitalization time.
