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St. David's Round Rock Medical Center Acquires New Technology for Total Knee Replacement Surgeries

Thursday, October 15, 2009

Hospital is Only Provider of Minimally Invasive Treatment Using the Journey Deuce Knee System in Williamson and Travis Counties

St. David's Round Rock Medical Center is the first hospital in Williamson and Travis Counties to offer a bone and ligament-preserving alternative surgical option for up to 50 percent of patients needing a total knee replacement.

The Journey Deuce Knee System helps patients by resurfacing the two areas of the knee that are most affected by osteoarthritis, a type of arthritis that is caused by breakdown of cartilage, while keeping the third area of the knee intact. This alternative option allows patients to keep their anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) and posterior cruciate ligament (PCL), while also preserving up to 50 percent of the bone that is traditionally removed. 

The ACL and PCL are stabilizers that provide anterior, posterior and rotational stability to the knee during walking and higher impact activities. With a traditional knee replacement, the ACL and occasionally the PCL are removed, which can result in instability or weakness of the knee. This new procedure allows physicians to keep both ligaments intact, thus avoiding the potential symptoms of instability, weakness or discomfort that can occur with a traditional knee replacement.

“The Journey Deuce Knee System is an innovative procedure that helps patients keep the healthy parts of their original knee that would otherwise have to be sacrificed during a total knee replacement,” Michael Valastro, M.D., Medical Director of the Orthopedic Program at St. David's Round Rock Medical Center, said. “This is ideal for patients who may want to resume a more active lifestyle after surgery, but not all patients are candidates for this type of knee replacement surgery.”

Compared to a traditional total-knee replacement, the Journey Deuce Knee System can decrease post-operative pain, reduce the use of post-operative medication and potentially allow for a quicker recovery time.

“St. David's Round Rock Medical Center's goal is to provide the best care we can for our patients,” Dr. Valastro, said. “This new knee replacement system allows patients knees to bend and feel more like a normal knee than any other implant currently available.”

The Journey Deuce Knee System is the only FDA-cleared system to replace two of the three knee compartments.