Joint Reconstruction
Joint degeneration is the leading degenerative musculoskeletal disease and affects 1 in 8 Canadians (13%), with the hip and knee being the joints most commonly affected by this condition. Total hip arthroplasty (THA) and total knee arthroplasty (TKA) are the most common orthopedic surgeries in Canada. Despite their high success rate and very positive cost/benefit ratio, 10% to 20% of subjects who undergo THA or TKA have disappointing outcomes. Since these treatments are very common, improvements in care are warranted and could have a significant impact on population health and costs.
Canada currently has five issues in this area:
- Poor identification of individual success and failure factors when selecting candidates for a joint replacement procedure (THA and TKA).
- Avoidable perioperative complications related to the surgery (pain control, medical and orthopedic complications).
- The implantation of prostheses that do not reproduce joint biomechanics and do not provide natural joint function.
- The use of less than optimal surgical techniques (that do not match patient anatomy or that lack precision).
- The use of implants with manufacturing defects or that do not have adequate survival rates (high risk with new technologies since Health Canada does not require a phased introduction for “implants”).
Our research program aims to improve these issues. The goal of my program is to optimize the management and treatment of patients with knee and hip degeneration. We also want to determine the value and benefits of introducing new techniques and technologies in lower limb reconstruction.