Patient Testimonial
Mack, ADVANCE® Medial-Pivot Knee through PROPHECY® Navigation
Watch VideoIronton, Missouri native Christopher, or Mack as he is known to friends, has been an athlete his entire life. A football player and wrestler in high school, Mack went on to become a professional wrestler in 1995. By 2000, he was boxing and in 2006 added a super-heavyweight amateur MMA championship to his growing list of athletic accomplishments. When not competing, Mack manages his own gym which has three locations, and given the demands he experiences running his own business – along with the wear and tear already on his body - he was not surprised in 2008 when he was diagnosed with severe arthritis.
The trouble began in March 2004, when squats and knee extensions became increasingly challenging due to growing knee pain. As an athletic trainer, Mack could not avoid exercise altogether, but he did switch to lighter weights as he continued weight training. He also continued wrestling, despite increasing discomfort. But, during what would be his last pro wrestling match in the spring of 2006, he tore his right bicep. That fateful event brought Mack to the office of Dr. Jason Browdy of Advance Orthopedics in Clayton. Following a successful surgery and three months of physical therapy, Mack’s right arm was fine but the nagging in his knees had worsened.
In 2007, he returned to Dr. Browdy for an evaluation of his knees and learned that, at the young age of 45, he would need total knee replacements on both legs. Mack tried custom leg braces in an attempt to avoid surgery, but it did not take him long to realize he wanted a better and more permanent solution. In early 2008, Mack read an article about a new implant technology called BIOFOAM® Cancellous Bone in the newspaper and he shared the story with his doctor, who began researching options for Mack’s knees.
Mack’s surgeon also learned about a new technology from Wright Medical called the PROPHECY® Pre-Operative Navigation Guides that would allow for a 3-D image of Mack’s knee to be created from a CT scan and a virtual operation conducted prior to performing the real one. The surgeon could view results from the virtual operation to see what the implant and alignment will look like before the real surgery.
Along with PROPHECY® Pre-Operative Navigation Guides, Mac’s surgeon would also use Wright’s BIOFOAM® technology, which is a cementless biological scaffold designed to allow fast, fluid bone growth. Mack received a new left knee in June 2010 and a new right one in December.
His physical therapists were impressed at the speed of his recoveries. He began driving just two weeks after his first surgery and, three months later, he had resumed all his normal activities without pain. Mack is currently recovering from his second surgery even more quickly than he did the first. He said “I feel like I have my youth back, and I’m going to make good use of it. The first thing I’m looking forward to is finally taking my wife dancing!”
Total knee replacement has been one of the most successful surgeries available to patients seeking to alleviate knee pain due to arthritis or injury. Scientific studies have routinely demonstrated long-term results with greater than a 90% success rate. Due to its clinical success, this operation has remained virtually unchanged for the past thirty years. However, the introduction of Wright Medical Technology’s PROPHECY® Pre-Operative Navigation is changing the landscape of total knee replacement by allowing for a simplified and less invasive procedure. This cutting-edge approach enables surgeons to decide on and view the artificial knee component alignment and placement before patients enter the operating room.
Customarily, total knee replacement requires drilling into the surrounding bones - the tibia and femur - to carve out a hole for a long rod, which is driven down through the bone and into the marrow core. The surgeon must use this rod to ensure the knee prosthetic is in line with these surrounding bones. PROPHECY® Pre-Operative Navigation addresses this concern by eliminating the need for the rod. Physicians can view the placement and alignment of the knee prosthetic prior to surgery, with the goal of reducing blood loss and patient discomfort. Proper sizing and alignment contributes to longevity, durability and prolonged use of a total knee replacement.
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.
Only a physician can tell you if this product and associated procedure are right for you and your unique circumstances. Please consult with a physician for complete information regarding benefits, risks and possible outcomes.
