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'Bionic' Knee Replacement Attaches Tissue To Metal

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May 16, 2007 12:27 pm US/Mountain

'Bionic' Knee Replacement Attaches Tissue To Metal

DENVER (CBS) ― A doctor at Presbyterian Saint Luke's Medical Center in Denver developed a new type of knee replacement for a woman who also had her ligament torn away in an accident at home. The new 'bionic' knee allows human tissue to attach itself to the metal artificial knee joint.

Patsy Brisendine shattered her left knee after falling off a step ladder at home. Doctors found a giant benign cell tumor caused the extensive damage which also destroyed the ligament attachment site.

In surgery, the standard metal knee joint was implanted with a piece made of trabecular metal foam. The material is 30 percent metal, 70 percent air. It looks like a honeycomb.

"And what it offers that's new from previous implants is that you can actually grow your ligaments and tendons into this stuff on the side," said Dr. Ronald Hugate.

Hugate said the ligaments, a human tissue, will attach to the implant and stabilize the knee.

"Once the tissue has grown into the metal, it's really more human tissue than it is implant," he said. "So you're a bionic woman at this point."

Hugate said the special implant should be good for 12 to 15 years, the same length of time as a standard knee implant.

(© 2007 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. The Associated Press contributed to this report.)

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