Artificial Knees Designed
Especially for Women
It's About Time

The Zimmer® Gender Solutions™ Knee has three qualities designed to fit women's bodies -- and their active lifestyles: 1. The Gender Knee has a thinner profile to accommodate the anatomical difference between men and women. 2. The Gender Knee accounts for the difference in the angle from the hip to the knee between men and women, allowing for more natural movement. 3. The Gender Knee's contoured shape more closely matches the narrower anatomy of a woman's knee, allowing for a more precise fit and reducing the chance for ligament or tendon damage.

Let's face it. Women are physically very different than men. Yet, the artificial knee implants that have been available for years didn't take these differences into account.

When selecting knee implants for their patients, doctors had limited choices in the sizes available, ranging from extra small to extra large. Surgeons often had to make adjustments during surgery to accommodate these implants, or they needed to order expensive custom-made implants for their patients.

At Wellington Regional Medical Center, orthopedic surgeons now have a much better option with an advanced knee implant that is contoured to fit a woman's anatomy, called the Zimmer^® Gender Solutions^™ High-Flex Knee.

More Options
"The new knee implant comes in many sizes; however, it isn't only a matter of size. It's a matter of shape that makes this implant revolutionary," says Enrique Palmer, MD, an orthopedic surgeon at the Total Joint Replacement Center at Wellington. "The thinner profile and contoured shape of the implants more closely resemble the proportions of a female knee. While the Gender Knee offers more and better choices for women, there may be cases in which the new knee implants will be the right choice for male patients, as well.

"When women shop, they can choose what fits them best from a wide range of shoe sizes and clothing sizes," Dr. Palmer continues. "Now, we can 'shop' for knees that will fit better and offer women greater comfort and better mobility."

The Gender Solutions knee is a more flexible, high-performing implant that allows most women to be as active as they want to be. Whereas a standard knee implant offers up to 120-degree flexion, the Gender Knee offers up to a 155-degree flexion. This is an important benefit because knee replacement procedures are no longer just for seniors. Also, these implants are made out of longer-lasting materials, making them ideal for younger patients.

Small Incisions Mean Faster Recoveries
Patients who have Gender Solutions^™ knee replacement procedures usually have small incisions, minimizing unsightly scars and reducing recovery time. Surgeons at the Total Joint Replacement Center at Wellington Regional Medical Center perform small-incision, computer-assisted knee replacement procedures that minimize trauma to the soft tissues of the knee.

"We make incisions as small as we can in the front of the knee to accommodate the implant and use sophisticated computer software to help us align the artificial implant precisely," says Enrique Palmer, MD, an orthopedic surgeon at Wellington Regional Medical Center. "Patients typically feel less pain and recover faster."

The Total Joint Replacement Center's team of multidisciplinary rehabilitation specialists provides comprehensive pre- and post-surgery services to help patients get back on their feet quickly so they can once again enjoy their favorite activities.

Enrique Palmer, MD, is a board-certified orthopedic surgeon and Medical Director for Surgical Orthopedic Trauma/Orthopedic Services at Wellington Regional Medical Center. Dr. Palmer offers years of expertise in knee, hip and shoulder replacement surgery. He is an associate of the Center for Bone and Joint Surgery of the Palm Beaches with offices on the campus of the hospital and at the Palms Wellington Surgery Center in Royal Palm Beach. For more information about the Gender Knee, or for an appointment with Dr. Palmer, please
call 561-803-8520.

Are you a candidate for knee replacement surgery?
Find out by taking a self-assessment quiz at www.genderknee.com/micro/web/quiz.

Wellington Regional Medical Center, 10101 Forest Hill Blvd. Wellington, FL 33414 (561) 798-8500