Subchondroplasty | An Alternative to Knee Replacement Surgery
Date and Time: 6 June 2019, 6.30pm
Venue: Peach Garden at Hotel Miramar
Guest Speaker: Dr Bernard Lee Chee Siang, Orthopaedic Surgeon at Sportsin Orthopaedic Clinic, Gleneagles Medical Centre
Dr Bernard Lee was invited as a Guest Speaker by Eplus Healthcare and Zimmer Biomet to give a talk about Subchondroplasty to a group of Orthopaedic Surgeons. He is one of three pioneer surgeons in Singapore who has been trained to perform this procedure.
Below are some of the main takeaways from his talk:
What is Subchondroplasty?
Subchondroplasty involves injecting a bone substitute into painful, damaged parts of an arthritic knee.
This surgical procedure can help patients with knee osteoarthritis. This has been shown to reduce knee pain and improve knee function significantly, without having to resort to joint replacement surgery.
70% of patients who underwent subchondroplasty avoided a total knee replacement for two years or more.
–
Radiologic Assessment before operation.
Your doctor may do X-rays and an MRI scan to assess the extent of your knee problem, and to determine if subchondroplasty is a good option for you.
Subchondroplasty has seen relatively good results in patients. It has helped some of them continue their lifestyle and work:
–
Case-studies
1) A 67-year-old PE teacher was having severe knee pain and had difficulty climbing stairs and bringing his students for lessons. Being an active person, he was not keen to undergo joint replacement surgery. After a few months of trying alternative forms of treatment, he underwent Subchondroplasty. As the weeks passed, his pain improved, and he was able to continue working as a PE teacher. Currently, he is two years from his surgery, and his pain is almost completely gone. He can still go for long walks every day and is still working as a PE teacher!
2) A lady in her early 50s was having knee pain due to knee arthritis that was aggravated by having to stand for long hours in her sales job. After having tried other forms of treatment and supplements to no avail, she underwent Subchondroplasty. Now at two years after surgery, she only has occasional pain and can stand and walk for long durations at work without difficulty.
Subchondroplasty may not work for everyone. However, it does provide an alternative to joint replacement surgery in certain patients. Results will vary, and it is best that you discuss this option thoroughly with your Orthopaedic Surgeon.
For more information, please visit:
https://www.zimmerbiometcreativelab.com/zimmer/iframe_scp/index.html
