Knee replacements now custom-made for patients

TAMPA (FOX 13) - Golf is one of Ed Kaloust's passions but he admits, over the past few years knee pain took its toll on his game.

"I was bone on bone. I couldn’t play golf well, I couldn't walk for more than 20, 30 yards and I'd have to sit down."

The 77-year-old Medi-Weightloss CEO says he was getting shots into his knees and taking five Advil a day, but his knees kept getting worse.

"So it really got to a point, in spite of my stubbornness, I knew that I had to do something," Kaloust recalls. 

After thoroughly researching all options that something was a knee replacement called Conformis, custom made to fit only him

"Every implant will have a serial number and even the name of the person on the implant so that implant will be made to match that person and that person alone," Dr. Brian Palumbo is Kaloust's orthopedic surgeon. 

According to the manufacturer, the process begins with scanning the knee, hip and ankle of the patient. A computer analyzes the information creating a blueprint that's used to three d print a custom implant. 

Palumbo says in addition to matching size, implants are constructed to match the geometric configuration of the patient's bone.  

"The jigs are made in a way you simply have to snap them onto the patient knee and make your resections of the bone and the alignment is already computed into the system," Palumbo explains.   

Palumbo says surgeries are quicker since you do not have to spend time fitting patients with off-the-shelf options or placing stabilizing rods.  He says it ultimately results in a more natural fit.

"The more natural you make the patients knee feel during the operation the less challenge they’re going have and less difficulty they're going to have with their recovery," Palumbo says.

Ed says, "In my 2nd week i was able to drive to the office and work 3 hours a day, without a cane."

After spending weeks in rehab Ed continues to exercise, "Finally in my life I'm back in the gym on a regular basis only because of the confidence I have in my knee."

Kaloust says he plans to have knee replacement surgery on his second knee in November 2018. 

There have been some recalls of the devices, including a voluntary recall in 2015 involving 950 devices.