Affordable Knee Replacement

Joshua Powers

JaipurKnee: a high-performance knee joint for developing world amputees

Addressing the Problem

• Over 25 million people in the world today are suffering from the loss of a limb

• Amputees looking to replace a missing limb turn to modern prosthetics

• Today’s prosthetics are unaffordable, leaving people around the world hopeless

Costs

• Partial foot ($14,187)• Ankle disarticulation ($16,356)• Hip ($45,633)• Transpelvic disarticulation ($49,208)• Transtibial, or below the knee ($16,690)

• Knee joint ($45,563)Most expensive and complex portion of a prosthetic leg

http://healthcaresavvy.wbur.org/2013/04/the-cost-of-prosthetics/

Who can afford it?

• Out of the 25 million people in the world suffering from the loss of a limb, only about 20% can afford the necessary prosthetics

• Amputees in third world countries do not have the money or resources for modern prosthetics

• Each year, disease and trauma in war torn areas of the world leave thousands of new, less fortunate amputees

Making affordable prosthetics…

• Today’s existing “affordable” prosthetics are limiting– Affordable leg prosthetics operate on a single-axis

hinge system – On rough terrain, single-axis hinges tend to be

unstable and can even buckle at times

Most affordable knee prosthetics used in the last ten years have been unsuccessful

What’s Needed

• The ideal prosthetic knee joint:– Lightweight– Durable– High range of mobility– Affordable– Simple

A Real Solution

• The JaipurKnee

• Designed in collaboration with Stanford University and the Jaipur Foot Organization

Reliable and Affordable

• Simple! 5 plastic pieces and 4 standard fasteners

• Easily integrated; works with standard prosthetic systems

• Cheap; $20 per unit

Specifics of the JaipurKnee

• Lightweight; 1.5 lbs• Durable; oil-filled nylon polymer self

lubricates!• 165 degrees of motion; bending/kneeling• Works with standard prosthetic systems• Bench top tested for 3-5 years of use

Impact

• 4,977 patients have been fit with ReMotion's JaipurKnee

• 79% of these patients are still wearing their prostheses

• 95% of patients report no failures in their JaipurKnees

Engineering for the future

• The D-Rev team aims to provide products that improve the health and well-being of people living on an income of less than $4 dollars a day

• Currently implementing products in India, Haiti, Nepal, Ecuador, Uganda, Kenya, Tanzania, Nigeria, Sri Lanka, Botswana, Bangladesh and Iraq.

Sources

• http://healthcaresavvy.wbur.org/2013/04/the-cost-of-prosthetics/

• The Journal of Rehabilitation Research and Development <http://d-rev.org/projects/remotion/design.html>

• http://www.popularmechanics.com/science/health/med-tech/7-medical-upgrades-for-developing-countries-2#slide-2

• http://healthcaresavvy.wbur.org/2013/04/the-cost-of-prosthetics/

• Matthew Karam, MD. Iowa Orthopedic Journal. <http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2958286/>