Knee replacement doesn’t have to be ‘total’

CONCORD, Mass.–(EMWNews)–More than 1,000,000 stiff and aching knees worldwide get replaced every

year, many of which are now candidates for a breakthrough, minimally

invasive knee surgery option called MAKOplasty^®.

All of the procedure’s key components –

including a robotic arm and minimally-invasive resurfacing knee implants –

were designed in SolidWorks^®

3D CAD software.

Based on more than 200 licensed or owned patent applications and

patents, MAKOplasty^{enables orthopedic surgeons}

to treat patient-specific, early- to mid-stage osteoarthritic knee

disease with consistent, reproducible precision. The procedure employs

the MAKO Tactile Guidance System™ (TGS™),

a proprietary, FDA-cleared surgeon-interactive robotic arm system that

controls surgeons’ movements through the use

of tactile resistance technology. Computer-generated virtual surfaces

guide surgeons and the robotic arm along their planned path and focus

cutting on patient-specific 3D visualizations, based on pre-operative

imaging. The surgeon can confidently make complex tissue-sparing and

bone-conserving cuts. Any necessary adjustments can be made during the

operation, and patients stand to recover faster.

The Fort Lauderdale, Fla., MAKO Surgical Corp. used SolidWorks software

to design the TGS, which uses proprietary cable-drives instead of gears

to make the robotic arm extremely human-interactive, enabling very

high-fidelity tactile response. Knee replacement doesn’t

have to be ‘total’ –

“The implants and instruments benefit from

SolidWorks’ rapidly improving surfacing

capabilities, and the TGS design benefits from SolidWorks’

large assembly and motion simulation capabilities,”

said MAKO CTO, Senior Vice-President and Co-founder Rony Abovitz. “We

also use SolidWorks to design the virtual volumes –

the safe cutting zones, if you will – that

guide the surgeon in reshaping patients’ bone

surfaces prior to implanting. SolidWorks handles all of these jobs well,

and the software is easy for our engineers to learn no matter what

platform they’ve learned on.”

The MAKOplasty design effort has been under way since 1997, tracing its

surgical navigation and medical robotics roots to a wide range of

licensed and internally developed technologies, notably the MIT

Artificial Intelligence (AI) Lab, Northwestern University’s

Lab for Intelligent Machines, and The Cleveland Clinic. One of the

original seats of SolidWorks was used by William Townsend, CEO of

Barrett Technology and the co-inventor of core cable-drive robot

technologies (WAM™ arm) at the MIT AI Lab.

“Bill Townsend introduced me to SolidWorks

co-founder Jon Hirschtick in the late 1990’s –

the two had been friends for some time. Since the introduction, we have

had a long connection and affinity with SolidWorks –

the karma is good, and the results we have produced to date with it have

been great,” said Abovitz.

SolidWorks Corporation Vice President of Worldwide Marketing and

Strategy Rainer Gawlick said, “MAKOplasty

represents a substantial leap in the state of the art, one that stands

to benefit a vast and rapidly growing population. It will be interesting

to see patients benefit and the company gradually expand its range of

robotic arm-assisted procedures.”

MAKO Surgical relies on authorized SolidWorks reseller The SolidExperts

for ongoing software training, implementation, and support.

About MAKO Surgical Corp.

MAKO Surgical Corp. is a medical device company that markets its

advanced robotic arm solution and implants for minimally invasive

orthopedic knee procedures. The MAKO Tactile Guidance System™

(TGS™) includes a surgeon-interactive

technology platform that utilizes a tactile robotic arm and

patient-specific visualization to prepare the knee joint for the

insertion and alignment of resurfacing implants through a minimal

incision. This FDA-cleared TGS™ allows

surgeons to provide a tissue-sparing, bone resurfacing procedure called

MAKOplasty^® to a

large, yet underserved patient-specific population suffering from early

to mid-stage osteoarthritic knee disease. MAKO Surgical has an

intellectual property portfolio of more than 200 licensed or owned

patent applications and patents relating to the areas of computer

assisted surgery, haptics, robotics and implants. Additional information

can be found at www.makosurgical.com.

About The SolidExperts

The SolidExperts enable innovation and new product development for

engineers and manufacturers. With a qualified team of experienced

engineers and certified SolidWorks professionals, The SolidExperts

provide comprehensive sales, support, and training for the full line of

SolidWorks 3D design products. The SolidExperts apply the full power of

the industry’s leading design software to

help clients achieve the highest levels of innovation and commercial

success. Founded in 2006, the consultancy consists of the same team

which has served the Florida SolidWorks community since 1999, previously

under the name CADD Centers of Florida. As the only locally owned and

operated Value Added Reseller for SolidWorks in the state, The

SolidExperts remain your local source of reliable SolidWorks expertise.

For more information, visit www.thesolidexperts.com

About SolidWorks Corporation

SolidWorks Corporation, a Dassault Systèmes

S.A. (Nasdaq: DASTY, Euronext Paris: #13065, DSY.PA) company, develops

and markets software for design, analysis, and product data management.

It is the leading supplier of 3D CAD technology, giving teams intuitive,

high-performing software that helps them design better products. For the

latest news, information, or an online demonstration, visit the company’s

Web site (www.solidworks.com)

or call 1-800-693-9000 (outside of North America, call +1-978-371-5000).

SolidWorks is a registered trademarks of SolidWorks Corporation.

Copyright (c) 2008 SolidWorks Corporation.

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