How Sensor-Enabled Smart Knee Implants Are Changing Joint Replacement

If you have been advised a total knee arthroplasty by your orthopedic surgeon, common questions usually revolve around the recovery period, the rehabilitation involved, postoperative complications or even the implants used. Your healthcare provider might even suggest the usage of “smart knee implants”, which might raise some questions in your head, so let’s try to clear some of these doubts in this article.

What Are Smart Knee Implants?

This is one of the more recent advancements in total knee replacement surgery which involves sensors that are embedded into the actual knee implant. These work to provide real-time data following knee replacement surgery and allows for postoperative recovery tracking technology. Smart implants have uses in various other surgeries, but with respect to knee replacement surgery, one of its main aims to help maximize the patient’s recovery. The information gained from smart implants can help play a role in extending the life of the implant, detect any potential failure and reduce unnecessary hospital visits. With the recent increase in the number telemedicine platforms and higher patient engagement, remote patient monitoring after knee surgery, along with the data collected via these implants, information can be passed along to the healthcare providers easier and faster, which opens the doors to more efficient care for postoperative patients.

How Smart Implants Monitor Recovery

The FDA approved knee replacement device with its embedded Bluetooth or WIFI enabled sensor collects and records a few important parameters such as range of motion, pressure and load distribution and gait patterns. Monitoring the range of motion is important is to check whether there is adequate movement of the knee, which is important in maximizing postoperative outcomes. Keeping an eye on the pressure and load distribution ensures that there are no irregularities in weight and pressure distribution, both of which ensures the biomechanics of the joint are intact and helps to improve implant longevity. Following the gait patterns of the patient help to detect irregularities in the patient’s walking style.

Data Transmission and Patient Access

The information collected from the implanted sensor is relayed to small “modem like” station plugged in at home. The data is collected and then delivered via a HIPAA compliant cloud service, which provides the relevant information about the various stages of recovery. Another bonus of this software is the patient also gets access to this information, which can help in target setting and aids in motivation to achieving certain goals.

Clinical Benefits of Smart Knee Implants

Apart from the parameters mentioned, this also allows the surgeon to detect any potential infection or component failure, which if detected early, can allow for early intervention and hopefully avoid further surgeries. If there are some patients who are not meeting targets with their rehabilitation, or not progressing as well as they should, the data available allows the surgeon and physiotherapist to step in and intervene and make the necessary changes to get the patient back on track.

Challenges and Limitations

Of course, with some novel pieces of technology there are some technical challenges present. The materials used for these sensors have to be biocompatible with the human body, as well as the actual implant. There are also size limitations for the sensor as they need to be confined to the implant without compromising structural integrity or affecting the functioning. Battery reserves and energy sources also need further development, as recent smart implants have only a 10-year battery life. From the clinical perspective, the effectiveness of these implants on measuring functional outcomes and long term patient satisfaction still remains to be seen and requires more extensive testing.

Empowering Your Recovery with Smart Technology

It must be remembered that there are various factors that influence the outcome of a total knee arthroplasty, that are outside the scope of discussion in this article. But if you have been suggested a knee replacement with smart knee implants, there are definitely some advantages to this technology, both to the clinician as well as to you. It must also be mentioned that these sensor-based implants cannot predict and anticipate all complications and postoperative events with one hundred percent accuracy.

Ready to explore if smart knee implants are right for you? Book a consultation with one of Rothman’s knee replacement specialists.