Electronic Knee Prosthesis to Aid Research

A new type of implanted prosthesis, called an electronic knee, has the ability to directly measure forces that occur within the knee and is expected to generate information that will lead to major advances in knee implant design.

The implant contains transducers, a microtransmitter, and an antenna that allow transmission of force measurements into a computer-readable format. The technology is designed to allow scientists at the Scripps Clinic Center for Orthopedic Research and Education (SCORE, La Jolla, CA, USA) to measure in real-time the distribution of forces to the implant and the load-carrying capabilities of the bone as the patient walks, climbs stairs, and exercises. The findings will help scientists and engineers to design better knee replacements in the future. The implant was recently implanted into a patient.

"Until now, engineers have mathematically estimated forces that occur across the knee joint,” said Clifford W. Colwell, Jr., M.D., director of SCORE, who performed the surgery. SCORE links preclinical, clinical, and biomechanics research and is positioned to bring scientific discoveries such as the electronic knee into existence. "Now, we will know exactly where the forces are coming from for each type of physical activity the patient engages in.

The electronic knee is the result of a collaboration among clinicians, scientists, and industry professionals. "We spent over 13 years in the development process,” said John Smith, an engineer with DePuy Orthopedics, Inc. (Warsaw, IN, USA), which manufactured the implant.




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