New Technologies And Data Analytics Transform Knee Surgery
Every year, more than one million Americans undergo a hip or knee replacement procedure, designed to help relieve severe joint pain and increase mobility. With the number of elderly Americans set to increase by nearly 70% between this decade and 20601, demand for these procedures is also expected to rise significantly.
With high demand and expectations, hospitals, surgical centers and clinicians are looking to adopt new technologies to make surgeries more efficient and reproducible, help patients regain their mobility quickly and safely, and most importantly, provide patients the best possible surgical experience. So, it's no surprise that a digital revolution is underway at healthcare institutions around the country. Much like the way that technology enhances so many aspects of our everyday life, advanced surgical robotics, remote patient monitoring through wearable devices and sophisticated data analytics are helping healthcare professionals provide personalized and data-informed care.
Earlier this year, Zimmer Biomet, a global medical technology leader, introduced the ZBEdge™ Connected Intelligence Suite, a family of digital and robotic technologies designed with the goal of enhancing the joint replacement surgery experience for healthcare professionals and patients. By seamlessly sharing data collected throughout a patient's surgical journey – from initial consultation through recovery and rehabilitation – ZBEdge gives doctors new insights to tailor a surgical care plan to yield the best outcome for each patient.
"As a physician, I am entrusted with making countless care decisions that can have a long-standing impact on a patient's health, well-being and ability to live life to the fullest. To live up to that trust that patients place in me and my team means that we have to rely on the best and most accurate information and use the most precise tools whenever possible," said Dr. James Ballard*, an Oregon-based board-certified orthopedic surgeon. "The ZBEdge suite consists of cutting-edge robotic and digital health technologies that are seamlessly connected to provide patient and procedural data that I can use to make personalized and informed clinical decisions for my patients."
Remote Patient Monitoring and Enhanced Communication with mymobility®
ZBEdge is designed to create a seamless continuum of patient data that's useful before, during and after surgery. Before surgery, a patient will be set up to use mymobility®, an application that uses the Apple Watch® and iPhone® to deliver support and guidance to help patients prepare for and recover from treatment. The app educates patients on what to expect from the surgery while using the Apple Watch to automatically track step count, stand time and other movement metrics. The data gathered via mymobility before the surgery can serve as a benchmark for post-operative recovery analytics that surgeons can compare to recovery metrics of similar patients.
Surgeon-centered Solutions with ROSA Robotics
In the operating room, the ZBEdge suite consists of ROSA® Knee, Zimmer Biomet's efficient robotic surgical assistant. This tool helps surgeons perform the surgery with greater precision and accuracy2, while providing important real-time data on a patient's anatomy and procedure.
"Having a robot, or any other technology, in the operating room can't replace a surgeon – but it can make a surgeon better informed," added Dr Ballard. "Because I can access so much real-world mymobility data about each patient via ZBEdge, I am able chart out the most efficient way to perform surgery based on each patient's unique anatomy, the pain they described before surgery, the metrics tracked by mymobility with Apple Watch and more. By personalizing the procedure to this degree, we can help set up a patient for the best possible recovery experience."
Giving Data Power with OrthoIntel
The data collected by mymobility, ROSA and other components of the ZBEdge suite is aggregated and translated into clinical insights by a sophisticated analytics software called the OrthoIntel Orthopedics Intelligence Platform. OrthoIntel allows for global comparison of aggregated mymobility patient data. These comparisons helps surgeons better understand typical progress so they can apply these insights to make the right decision for their current patient.
For patients, their interaction with ZBEdge continues even after they leave the operating room. After surgery, the mymobility app continues to track how well a patient is resuming movement and provides prompts for patients to report their pain level and medication intake. All this information is accessible by the surgeon and care team so they can monitor their patient's progress in real-time, and adjust the care plan, if needed. In addition, patients can use mymobility to access physical therapy exercises and communicate with their surgeon via video and messaging.
Throughout the surgical journey, the ZBEdge suite of breakthrough technologies enhance communication, enable data-driven care decisions, and ultimately help surgeons strive for the best outcome for each patient.
"Our hope is that these technologies will help people with joint pain overcome their fears and gain the confidence to seek a much-needed joint replacement surgery that could help them regain mobility and resume their normal activities," Dr. Ballard added.
For more information about ZBEdge, visit zimmerbiomet.com/zbedge.**
*Dr. Ballard is a Paid Zimmer Biomet Consultant.
**Link for healthcare professionals only.
For Patients
Not all patients are candidates for this product and/or procedure, and mymobility can only be used if prescribed by a surgeon for patients identified as appropriate for remote care who have a compatible smartphone. iPhone and Apple Watch are registered trademarks of Apple, Inc.
Not all patients are candidates for this product and/or procedure. Only a medical professional can determine the treatment appropriate for your specific condition. Talk to your surgeon about whether joint replacement is right for you and the risks of the procedure, including the risks of infection, implant wear, loosening, breakage or failure, any of which can require additional surgery. For additional information or to find a surgeon near you, visit zimmerbiomet.com
For Healthcare Professionals
This material is intended for Healthcare Professionals. Zimmer Biomet does not practice medicine. For indications, contraindications, warnings, precautions, potential adverse effects and patient counseling information, see the package insert or contact your local representative; visit www.zimmerbiomet.com for additional product information. (c) 2021 Zimmer Biomet.
References
- The U.S. Population Is Growing Older, and the Gender Gap in Life Expectancy Is Narrowing. PRB. (n.d.). https://www.prb.org/resources/u-s-population-is-growing-older/.
- Parratte, S., et al. Instability After Total Knee Arthroplasty. Journal of Bone Joint Surgery (America). 90(1): 184, 2008.