David
Fayetteville, North Carolina
In the mid-1980s, Fayetteville resident David W. was diagnosed with osteoarthritis in both knees. Within just a few years, the pain progressed to the point that the now 71 year-old investment advisor was forced to give up tennis and golf, hobbies which he had enjoyed for many years. By the mid-1990s, David’s mobility became a constant struggle – in particular, rising from a sitting position and traversing stairs.
David tried a number of different treatments in an attempt to manage the pain – supplements, prescription medication, fluid injections and even steroid shots – however, they provided only temporary relief. In 2002, having exhausted his non-surgical options, David underwent an arthroscopic procedure on both knees to clean out excess scar tissue. However, much to his chagrin, it did little to relieve his discomfort.
With his mobility continuing to deteriorate, David reached the tipping point when he lost his balance and fell while walking on a rocky, uneven road while on vacation in Mexico. In December 2008, motivated by “nursing home avoidance,” he scheduled a consultation with Dr. Lowry Barnes at Arkansas Specialty Orthopedics in Little Rock. One x-ray was all that his doctor needed to see and David was told that replacing his knees was the only treatment option.
After more than twenty years of fighting the good fight, David had his right knee replaced in February 2009. Three months later, he regained full use of the knee and for the first time in more than two decades, David could imagine the possibility of being pain-free.
The surgery to replace David’s left knee was scheduled for the fall of 2009 but a number of scheduling conflicts postponed the operation to November 2010. When the surgery finally took place, Dr. Barnes implanted the EVOLUTION® Medial-Pivot Knee System, a next-generation technology from MicroPort.
According to Dr. Barnes, “The new design features of the EVOLUTION® Knee have helped David and many of my other patients have a speedier recovery which includes gaining motion sooner, having less pain, and feeling more normal sooner.”
David spent fewer nights in the hospital after receiving his EVOLUTION® knee than he did with the earlier surgery and was able to complete physical therapy in roughly half the time. He regained full use of his right knee in just eight weeks, approximately one month quicker than his first knee operation.
Although longtime shoulder ailments have prevented David’s return to the tennis court and golf course, he now has full mobility in both legs. “Thanks to the doctor’s skill and adoption of MicroPort’s advanced technology for knee surgery, I am able to live my life without pain.”
MicroPort’s EVOLUTION® Medial-Pivot Knee replacement implant is the newest and most technologically advanced system on the market and is designed to restore natural stability and motion to the knee. It is comprised of a ball-in-socket mechanism that mimics the stability of the anatomical knee and its curved shape allows the knee to freely bend and rotate.
The EVOLUTION® Knee is designed to help reproduce normal motion by more closely replicating the knee’s natural anatomy, which helps provide stability. It is designed to eliminate the “sliding” feeling common with other knee systems, which may improve patient confidence associated with use of the knee. The system is comprised of implants and instruments designed to accommodate less-invasive surgery, which means smaller incisions and less soft tissue damage for surgeons who choose to use less-invasive techniques.
Dr. Barnes is a surgeon who contributed to the development of the EVOLUTION® Medial-Pivot Knee System, a next-generation technology from MicroPort.
These results are specific to this individual only. Individual results and activity levels after surgery vary and depend on many factors including age, weight and prior activity level.
There are risks and recovery times associated with surgery and there are certain individuals who should not undergo surgery.