“The Tesla of knee implants” keeps adults with knee arthritis going strong

See how Inova’s orthopedic docs are using MAKOplasty to keep adults with knee arthritis going strong

Age isn’t slowing down the nation’s 74.9 million baby boomers. However, this go-get-’em generation’s vitality can be derailed by the body’s natural aging process. Decades of physical activity wear down the bones’ protective cartilage. The result can be osteoarthritis (OA) — often in the knees. Until recently, the surgical solution involved an invasive total knee joint replacement.

Today, individuals diagnosed with early to mid-stage osteoarthritis of the knee may be candidates for MAKOplasty® Partial Knee Resurfacing. A minimally invasive, robotic-assisted treatment, MAKOplasty is currently performed by orthopedic specialists at Inova Fair Oaks Hospital — one of only a select few hospitals in the entire Northern Virginia and Washington, DC, metro area that offer this innovative surgical approach.

Safe and Effective Treatment for Arthritis

MAKOplasty, an advanced technique involving a small incision on the front of the knee, utilizes robotic technology to resurface only the arthritic portion of the knee joint, thus preserving surrounding healthy bone and ligaments. “The procedure has been around for a while. So we know it’s safe and effective,” says James Reeves, MD, orthopedic surgeon. “What’s different today is that robotics have advanced our capabilities. Now we can perform the procedure with even greater accuracy, which consistently achieves better outcomes and puts the patient back in action sooner — without pain.”

For 65-year-old Anthony Wilder, MAKOplasty proved to be the ultimate solution. Wilder has always enjoyed physical activity — from ultimate Frisbee to mountain climbing — but eventually all that action left his inner knees with a painful bone-on-bone condition.

Full Range of Knee Motion

Dr. Reeves recommended MAKOplasty — for both knees — and within 24 hours Anthony was discharged from Inova Fair Oaks Hospital. After a few weeks of physical therapy, the Bethesda, MD, resident once again had full range of motion in both knees and adds, “Today, my knees feel like they did when I was in my 30s!”

The patient’s successful recovery earned Dr. Reeves’ go-ahead to enjoy any sport he desired. “And that’s what I did,” Anthony says, noting that he has been paddle boarding since the surgery. “To me, MAKOplasty is the future … the Tesla of knee implants.”

Make Your Move

Learn more about joint replacement surgery at Inova at inova.org/joint.