We live in a day and age when there are a myriad of medical advancements that can help us to live healthier and stronger. At Northside Hospital, leading experts in orthopedics are using new technologies to provide comprehensive joint and spine care – from conservative and nonsurgical therapies and pain management, to minimally invasive, robot-assisted joint replacements including outpatient surgery, in which patients often leave the hospital within a few hours of surgery.
When nonsurgical treatments are exhausted, many worn-out joints are replaceable and Northside is committed to returning patients to active lifestyles as quickly and safely as possible.
Northside orthopedic surgeons also are using image-guided and advanced robot-assisted surgical technologies to perform more accurate joint replacements and increase patients’ mobility faster than ever before.
We were the first hospital in Georgia to acquire the O-arm® Surgical Imaging System, which provides surgeons with real time, 3-D images of the patient during spine and joint replacement procedures, so that they can more accurately align implants.
Technologies like MAKOplasty® and TruMatch™ also use real-time imaging, in addition to 3-D models and motion capture technology, to help surgeons fine-tune an implant’s positioning and shape, creating a truly customized joint replacement. Patients benefit from better stability and more natural movement of the joint, potentially increasing the lifespan of the implant and reducing the risk for revision surgery.
Read more about our robotic and computer-assisted surgery at Northside.
In an effort to avoid surgery or as part of a post-knee-surgery treatment plan, orthopedic specialists at Northside are able to tailor treatment plans based upon precise measurements of knee motion and areas of deficiency.
KneeKG™ is a patented knee assessment system that measures knee kinematics for clinical evaluation of gait impairment or alteration resulting from:
Northside is one of only a handful of programs in the nation with this level of orthopedic innovation. The technology allows physicians to use a computer and camera to track patients’ knee movements as they walk on a treadmill. This gives physicians a better understanding of each patient’s knee and biomarkers, and allows them to develop the right exercise program to protect the knee and restore function.
Most people have heard of knee or hip replacements, but the replacement of aging ankle joints also is gaining ground. By replacing arthritic or injured ankles with artificial joints, foot and ankle surgeons at Northside are helping to get people back on their feet.
Ankle replacement surgery relieves debilitating pain and discomfort caused by arthritis, while restoring and maintaining ankle motion in people with compromised ankle function. During the 2-3 hour surgical procedure, the ankle joint is exposed, diseased cartilage and bone is removed and a metal and lightweight plastic bearing is inserted.
In general, healthy, non-diabetic older patients who have exhausted non-surgical treatment and continue to experience painful and disabling ankle arthritis are ideal candidates for ankle replacement.
Northside’s comprehensive, multidisciplinary approach for acute and chronic spinal conditions offers many treatment options for conditions ranging from minor strains to severe nerve pressure or injury. The Northside Hospital Spine & Pain Treatment Centers combine the expertise of many Atlanta spine specialists including orthopedic surgeons, neurosurgeons, fellowship-trained anesthesia pain physicians, neuroradiologists and physical therapists, to provide superlative treatment and follow-up care.
At the Spine Center, patients benefit from a conservative, coordinated and personalized approach. However, when surgery is needed, our team performs a variety of spine procedures – from “routine” spine surgeries to complex spine procedures. Read more about spine surgery at Northside.
