Dr. Pradeep Sharma
Director & Head
BLK Centre for Orthopaedics,
Joint Reconstruction & Spine
Surgery
BLK Super Speciality
Hospital, New Delhi
Gold Knee Replacement
THE CASE
The longevity of joint replacement implants has always been a topic of
debate for years. The implants are subjected to a high degree of loads and
wear inducing movements that result in the release of abrasive particles.
Newer designs and materials which have gone through the stringent R&D
process, are now being introduced to tackle this attrition problem.
One latest invention in the field of implants is the Gold Knee, a fully
Biocompatible Titanium Niobium Nitride (TiNbN) ceramic surface
coating on the metallic implant which gives it a light golden yellow
appearance. This implant has been FDA approved and has been in use
in the United States of America since 2011.
The ceramic coating technique utilises a particular technology known
as the Physical Vapor Deposition (PVD) which makes the TiNbN coated
implants ace over other materials. During the manufacturing process,
vapour form of the coating material, with the addition of nitrogen, is
securely anchored in several layers of the implant surface in a high
vacuum chamber. The implants manufactured through this process
have many potential benefits over other materials, such as cobalt or
chromium-based alloys. TiNbN coated implant is twice as hard as
oxinium and over eight times harder than a conventional cobalt chrome.
Surface hardness attributes to the abrasion resistance and stiffness of
the implant. The allergenic potential is also less in TiNbN coatings as
compared to cobalt, chrome and nickel ions. It also has an improved
wettability (greater hydrophilicity) for body fluids, which means better
lubrication, and thus reduces wear rates.
To summarise, Gold Knees are far beneficial than the conventional
implants in terms of outstanding biocompatibility, allergy prevention,
superior surface hardness, low friction articulation, long-term chemical
stability, inflammation prevention, endoprosthetic loosening and extreme
adhesive strength.
Patients with severe degenerative changes in the knee with an active
lifestyle are the ideal patients for Gold Knee Replacement.
Till date, BLK has successfully performed over 50 Gold Knee
Replacements at the BLK Centre for Orthopaedics, Joint Reconstruction
& Spine Surgery. The functional outcomes of these patients have been
assessed on their subsequent visits, and the results have been excellent
so far with the patients experiencing utmost satisfaction.