Gender Knee

Gender Knee….A special replacement for women

By Sudha Hariharan

Louise was a patient suffering from knee pain for almost 10 years. She had consulted various orthopaedic surgeons and learnt that she had osteoarthritis (pain in the knee). She tried everything from pain killers to steroids - to get relief from knee pain. She suffered little by little and stopped doing the things she enjoyed the most, because of her knee pain. The agony to stand, walk and do her daily activities Viz. running her business, cooking for the family, etc. was becoming impossible. She had to take help of her family to do any activity. Her social life was also completely compromised.

Louise also used to apply Move (pain reliever) and ice packs most of the time to get relief from pain. The pain was so excruciating that she had to take sleeping pills to fall asleep. The situation worsened day after day, so much so that she decided to opt for complete knee replacement surgery on both her knees, as advised by her orthopaedic surgeon.

Louise went to an orthopaedic surgeon in her area who was using a special knee made for women. He agreed that, not only would she benefit greatly from having both knees replaced, but also that she would be an excellent candidate for the Zimmer Gender Solutions Knee, the first and only knee replacement shaped to fit women.

Louise also benefited from advancements in knee replacement that had occurred in the years since her pain began, such as less-invasive (small incision) surgery and Zimmer’s implants that were designed for high-flexion activities, including the Gender Solutions Knee.

Louise had surgery several months after her 50th birthday and although recovery from having both knees replaced at the same time was hard work, it was worth it, she said. She was relieved to be rid of the constant, gnawing knee pain and clicking in her knees. And was thrilled that she’d be able to start exercising again and focus on losing weight, not to mention cooking, gardening, shopping, decorating, spending quality time with family and friends and “living my life like a 50-year-old in a 50-year-old body.”

Her only regret?
“I wish I would have done it sooner,” said Louise. “My advice to people is ‘Don’t wait.’ Why suffer? I had 10 years of pain.”

Like Louise, there are several women in India suffering from severe knee pain or significant disability resulting from Arthritis or Injury, in turn compromising on their daily living. All such women can now look forward to a knee which matches their shape and size to provide a better fit.

Unhealthy Knee
Injury, arthritis, and other conditions can damage the cartilage that cushions the knee bones, allowing them to grind together, which can be quite painful.
Total knee replacement involves removing the portion of bone that is damaged and resurfacing the knee with metal and plastic implants.

Three bones make up the knee joint: the end of the thighbone (femur), the top of the shinbone (tibia), and the kneecap (patella). The knee bones
are cushioned by cartilage. When cartilage is healthy and intact, it prevents wear and tear on the bone surfaces when you bend and extend your knee. But cartilage can become damaged over time, due to wear and tear (osteoarthritis), from injury or aging or rheumatoid arthritis. When the cartilage cushion is damaged or gone, the bones of the knee grind against each other. As a result, normal activities, from gardening to climbing
stairs, can become extremely painful.


What causes knees to hurt?
Women account for nearly two thirds of the more than half million people who undergo knee replacement in worldwide each year, and that number continues to grow. Yet, studies show that many more women would benefit from knee implants, and some women wait longer than they should.
Now, there’s no need to wait. For the first time, there is a knee implant
designed especially for women.. Replacement knees have long been available in many sizes, but size alone is not the only difference between man and woman.

Women are different, and so are their knees
Three distinct shape differences between women and men:
The angle between the hip and the knee affects how the kneecap moves over the thighbone when the knee is in motion. Women have a distinct shape, which frequently results in a different angle between the hip and the knee when compared to men. The Zimmer Gender Solutions Knee accounts for this difference, allowing for more natural movement.

The bone in the front of a woman’s knee is typically less prominent than a man’s. Traditional implants have a thickness in front that may end up feeling “bulky,” which may result in pain and a decrease in range of motion. The Zimmer Gender Solutions Knee has a thinner profile to accommodate this anatomical difference between women and men. It has a contoured shape to more closely match the narrower anatomy of a woman’s knee. This contouring provides for a more precise fit and may prevent the implant from overhanging the bone and potentially pressing on or damaging surrounding ligaments and tendons.
Facts About the Zimmer Gender Solutions Knee
􀂃 first and only knee replacement shaped to fit a woman’s anatomy. It is based on three distinct and scientifically documented differences between women’s and men’s knees.
􀂃 It is the only anatomically designed knee implant that addresses both shape and size features of a woman’s knee, resulting in better fit, higher
flexion, and more natural movement.
􀂃 Historically, all knee implants have been designed based on an average between the size of women’s and men’s knees.
􀂃 It’s available globally.
􀂃 It is implanted using existing, clinically successful surgical
techniques, including Zimmer’s minimally invasive approaches, which typically offer smaller scars, shorter hospitalization and quicker recovery.
􀂃 safely accommodates high flexion, which is necessary
for many activities involving deep bending.

The need for Zimmer Gender SolutionsTM Knee implants is more than just marketing. Because women currently account for nearly 60% of all total knee arthroplasties (TKAs) both in India as well as worldwide, a knee implant designed specifically with their distinctive needs in mind is a logical development. Anatomically, a woman’s knee has a distinctive shape in comparison to a man’s knee in ways that impact the clinical outcome of TKAs using traditional implants

In India, recognizing that the realities related to management of arthritic pain through TKA is similar to worldwide trend, Zimmer launched the Gender SolutionsTM Knee in Apr’07. India has been the first country within Asia and within the first 5 countries in the world where Zimmer has introduced this product even as it prepares for its introduction in other countries.