A surgeon at Jackson, Tenn.-based Physicians Surgery Center performed the first knee replacement in the U.S. using a custom-made Episealer implant, according to an Oct. 5 press release.
The Episealer implant comes from Stockholm, Sweden-based Episurf Medical and is a metal implant ideal for older patients, the release said. It's made from high-resolution images of a patient's knee to match the size, shape and contour of damaged cartilage.
The procedure, done by J. Douglas Haltom, MD, is minimally invasive and allows for early weight bearing and quick rehabilitation, the release said.
"This is, of course, a great milestone for us, and we would like to extend our gratitude to everyone involved," Pål Ryfors, CEO of Episurf Medical, said in a statement. "Many more surgeries are to come in the United States, but the first surgery in the U.S. is a special milestone for us."