Area Surgeon Participates in Training for Newly-approved
Oxford™ Uni-compartmental Knee System
New Jersey, Hackensack — More than 70 surgeons traveled from across the U.S. to Orlando, Florida this month to participate in an advanced training course for The Oxford™ Uni-compartmental Knee System. Among those physicians was Hackensack surgeon Michael L. Gross, M.D., with Active Orthopedic and Sports Medicine, PA. Dr. Gross is the only orthopedic surgeon in Bergen County exclusively trained as well as the only surgeon in the metropolitian area to perform The Oxford Unicompartmental Knee System.
Engineers at Biomet along with leading surgeons in Oxford, England developed the uni-compartmental (partial) knee system, which until earlier this year was not available in the U.S. Biomet, headquartered in Warsaw, Indiana, announced FDA approval of the device in April. The Oxford™ is the only FDA-approved Free Floating Meniscal Unicompartmental knee system available in the United States.
In use throughout Europe for more than a decade, The Oxford™ System has been utilized in over 16,000 cases annually outside the United States.
“Surgeons in the U.S. will now have access to a unicompartmental system whose long-term clinical results show a 98 percent success rate at 10 years, equaling the results of the most successful total knee replacements,” said Dr. Gross who performed his first case using the Oxford™ Knee on February 3, 2005 at Hackensack University Medical Center. “We’ve been waiting a long time for this product in the U.S. and I am so pleased to now be able to offer this option to appropriate patients.”
“My first patient walked within hours of surgery and was discharged to home within 48 hours requiring nothing but oral pain medication. So far her results have exceeded my expectations in every way.” said Dr. Gross.
Unlike total knee replacement involving removal of all the knee joint surfaces, a unicompartmental knee replacement replaces only one side of the knee joint. Knee osteoarthritis usually occurs first in the medial (inside) compartment as this side of the knee bears most of the weight. In knees that are otherwise healthy, a unicompartmental approach allows the outer compartment and all ligaments to remain intact. By retaining all of the undamaged parts, the joint may bend better and function more naturally.
In a healthy knee, the meniscal cartilage serves as a shock absorber between the ends of the bones. The Oxford™ Knee is the first uni-compartmental implant with an artificial meniscal bearing designed to glide freely throughout the knee’s range of motion to more closely replicate normal movement. The plastic component allows all surfaces of the implant to fit one another in all positions resulting in improved durability.
The Oxford™System offers a uniquely designed and precisely instrumented system to balance the soft tissues and to accurately reproduce normal knee motion. The Oxford™ Knee may also allow for a more rapid recovery due to the use of minimally-invasive instrumentation and technique. With proper use of the Oxford™ instruments, the operation can be performed through a small incision with great precision.
Surgeons in the U.S. who wish to use the Oxford™ System are required by the FDA to attend an instructional course on the device.
