Department of Orthopaedics and Rehabilitation: Universal 2 Total Wrist System
For Patients
Wrist replacement stepped up a notch
Wrist replacement surgery got a major boost with the recent unveiling
of a breakthrough design created by University of Iowa Health Care researchers
Brian D. Adams, MD, professor of orthopaedic surgery, and Nicole M.
Grosland, PhD, assistant professor of orthopaedic surgery and biomedical
engineering.
Working with Kinetikos Medical, Inc., a San Diego-based biotechnology company,
the doctors created the Universal 2 total wrist system, a unique device
engineered for patients with severe wrist arthritis. The work was done
at the University of Iowa Orthopaedic Biomechanics Lab.
"The best patient for the Universal 2 prosthesis is someone with
painful wrist arthritis who is not routinely involved in activities that
place high demands on the hand and wrist," said Adams, an expert
who is dedicated to advancing wrist replacement surgery.
Since the Universal 2 device was cleared by the FDA this year, the new
prostheses have been implanted in patients with a variety of types of
wrist arthritis. "The long-term prognosis for these patients is excellent
for both function and durability," Adams said.
Although attempts at total wrist replacement have historically been
fraught with complications, early indications are that the Universal 2’s
unique design, which closely mimics the wrist’s normal movement
(see animation on this page), will overcome past obstacles. The prosthesis,
which uses the same materials and some of the same mechanical concepts
as in total hip and total knee replacements, is engineered for both performance
and longevity.
For more information, call the UI Department of Orthopaedics and Rehabilitation
at 319-353-6222.
