Knee replacement surgery is getting better. More than 100,000 Americans have it done every year, and now a new technology is reducing complications and making the new joints last longer.
A problem with knee replacement surgery is debris can get into the area where the new joint will be making it hard for the cement to set and leading to problems down the line.
One Orthopedic Surgeon says that when particles get into the bone it can cause a reaction called Osteolisis. The bone starts to fall apart in those areas and the prosthesis becomes lose, and that's not all. The particles can get into the blood stream, blocking blood flow to the lungs and to the brain.
This is where the new Carbo-Jet Technology comes in. It cleans out the bone, suctions out the debris and makes it easier for the cement to hold. Because the Carbo-Jet is still very new, there are no studies to show how well it works long term.