At North Louisiana Orthopaedic & Sports Medicine Clinic, we endeavor to provide the highest level of orthopaedic care. There have been many advances in orthopaedic surgery over the last several years, and our surgeons are bringing these new technologies to Monroe. From patient-specific instrumentation to locked plating technology, to reverse total shoulders, we are focused on obtaining the best outcomes for our patients.

Patient specific instrumentation (PSI) for total knee replacement is the utilization of the patient’s own anatomy (via an MRI or CT scan) to fabricate custom guides that have the optimum alignment built into them. One of the main benefits of PSI is less operating room time, which is due to the fact that several steps of a standard knee replacement are bypassed.

Treating fractures in osteoporotic patients (very weak and thin bone) is a challenge. Locked plating technology was designed to tackle this tough problem. By placing threads in the screw holes, screws now lock into the plate, which significantly improves our ability to hold the fracture in place. These plates also come in specific anatomic shapes for treating fractures of the wrist, ankle, shoulder, elbow, and knee.

When arthritis develops in the shoulder, it can be very debilitating. When this happens in a patient without a working rotator cuff, the problem is a difficult one to treat. The reverse total shoulder was designed specifically to address this issue. It actually changes the position of the ball and socket (thus the “reverse” moniker) to allow other muscles to move the shoulder in lieu of the rotator cuff. Initially it was intended for patients 75 years and older, but the indications are being expanded to include some fractures and salvage procedures.

The practice of medicine is one of constant learning. We are excited about the many advances in orthopaedic surgery. Our ability to treat the injuries and joint issues of our patients has improved significantly with these new technologies.