Sensor-Assisted Orthopedic Device Provides Real-Time Data to Optimize Knee Replacement Surgery Outcomes

Elkhart, IN – Dr. Mark Klaassen, orthopedic surgeon at Elkhart General Hospital is the first surgeon in the state of Indiana to perform intelligent orthopedic knee replacement surgery using a new technology that harnesses the latest innovations in sensors, microelectronics and wireless communications to improve healthcare outcomes and reduce the cost of treating musculoskeletal disease.

By using the Ortho-Sensor ™ Knee Balancer, surgeons are able to quantify and verify the position and balance of a knee implant during a total knee replacement surgery. Improper soft tissue balance and alignment has been demonstrated to be the cause of up to 36% of early implant revision procedures. Knee replacements performed with this new intelligent orthopedic devise may reduce patients’ risk of premature implant failure.

“If soft tissues are too tight, the knee cannot regain its full range of motion; if too loose, the joint may become unstable; if loaded excessively on one area, an implant will fail prematurely,” said Mark Klaassen, M.D. “By using Intelligent Orthopedics to optimize the placement of knee implants, we are providing our patients with the best chance for successful long-term outcomes.”

This low-cost, intelligent, single-use device, made by OrthoSensor, Inc., replaces the standard tibial trial spacer block typically used during knee replacement surgery to fit a knee implant.

Until now, surgeons’ decisions about these soft tissue functions have varied based on individual judgment, experience and skill set. By contract, the intelligent knee instrument wirelessly transmits key information to a graphic display, enabling the surgeons to visualize and quantify joint balance and load during knee replacement procedures. With this evidence, surgeons can make informed adjustments to the soft tissues to optimize implant placement.

For more information about the use of Intelligent Orthopedics at Elkhart General
Hospital, call 574-523-3303. 

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About Elkhart General Hospital
Elkhart General Hospital is an independent, not-for-profit hospital located in Elkhart, Indiana. The full-service, 325-bed main hospital is comprised of 330 physicians representing more than 30 medical specialties, and over 2,000 employees serving in nursing, technical, administrative, and support capacities. The Elkhart General Hospital website is www.egh.org.

About OrthoSensor, Inc
OrthoSensor, Inc. is an innovative medical devise company developing and commercializing intelligent orthopedic devices that provide real-time data to surgeons and hospitals during and after surgery. OrthoSensor’s intelligent orthopedic devices utilize advanced sensor and wireless communication technology with the goal of improving healthcare outcomes and reducing the cost of treating musculoskeletal disease. The company’s intelligent orthopedic instrumentation and implants are designed to enhance surgical implantation, as well as enable remote monitoring of implant function and overall musculoskeletal health.


For more information contact:
Shelley Rody
Media and Special Events Coordinator, Elkhart General Hospital
Phone: 574-389-5656
Email: srody@egh.org
Website: www.egh.org