Duke Orthopaedics specializes in patient-specific surgery for total knee replacements. We are also working to add this procedure to our hip replacement offerings.

Patient-specific surgery is a new procedure that allows orthopaedic surgeons to customize knee replacement surgery to a patient’s unique anatomy.

Patient-Specific Surgery Procedure Details

In preparation for this procedure, a preoperative magnetic resonance image (MRI) is taken of the patient’s entire leg a few weeks prior to the surgery.

This MRI gives the doctors a 3D model of the leg and hip that they use to customize a surgical plan before the surgery.

The surgeon also sends the MRI to a company that creates a patient-specific cutting guide to be used during the total joint replacement procedure.

These cutting guides are plastic blocks that are used to get the surgical pins in place to make way for the standard instruments that are used in the knee replacement or hip replacement.

The cutting guides are specific to the patient’s size and anatomy, helping to improve the efficiency of the procedure while maintaining the high standard of accuracy needed for the replacement.

Why Choose Duke Orthopaedics?

While patient-specific surgery is a relatively new approach to surgery, our doctors have helped to develop this technology and are skilled at offering this supplemental approach to surgery.

View a video of Michael Bolognesi, MD, using patient-specific instruments in a total knee replacement

Appointments

To make an appointment with a Duke orthopaedist, call 888-ASK-DUKE (888-275-3853).

Physicians

Physicians offering this service include:

• Attarian, David E.
  • Orthopaedics
• Bolognesi, Michael P.
  • Orthopaedics
• Hallows, Rhett K.
  • Orthopaedics
• Wellman, Samuel S.
  • Orthopaedics