A distinguished Kuwaiti surgeon has become the first in the country to use a new generation knee joint implant.

Orthopaedic Association of Kuwait chairman, head of Orthopaedics at Al Razi Hospital, Kuwait Medical Association President and, lecturer at the Faculty of Medicine at Kuwait University Dr Ali Zayed Al Mukaimi is the first surgeon in Kuwait to use Genesis II, a new knee joint implant in a total knee replacement procedure.

Dr Ali, who is one of the region’s leading exponents of the total knee replacement procedure and who introduced the procedure in Kuwait, has performed more than 250 total knee replacement operations at Al Razi hospital – which now averages three operations per week - and 50 in Germany, where he practiced whilst studying for his doctorate degree, prior to returning to Kuwait.

The new knee joint, called Genesis II, is precision manufactured in a patented new material - Oxidised Zirconium or ‘Oxinium’ – a metallic alloy with a ceramic surface, which improves wear resistance, hardness and lubricity of the knee joint, and extends the working life of the joint, which is important especially in a region where knee replacement patients are relatively young.

The Genesis II knee implant is designed to last for more than 20 years and also results in greater flexion for the patient.

“Unlike patients in the west, our patients are young and they expect their surgeon to help them regain their normal daily activity,” said Dr Ali.

“There are many important factors that a surgeon should consider when selecting a knee implant but longevity of the implant is usually the determining factor.”

Total knee replacement is not a new procedure but it is relatively new in Kuwait and even in the wider Middle East. Patients demand a lot of information in advance of the surgery and require reassurance – especially the older patients – and so counseling is an important part of the overall process.

However, according to Dr Ali, patients are becoming better educated about the procedure through access to information available on the internet, for example.

The first patient in the region to undergo knee replacement using the Genesis II implant was a Lebanese lady in her late fifties. She suffered from severe knee pain due to Osteoarthritis, and consequently had a very low quality of life.

“The decision to perform the procedure on this patient was dictated by the fact that total knee replacement would significantly improve the patient’s quality of life and remove the source of the pain, whilst allowing her to regain much of the functionality of the joint and therefore facilitate a return to a normal lifestyle,” said Dr Ali.

It is estimated that total knee replacements represent almost 90 per cent of the total arthroplasty cases performed in the region.

The number of total knee replacement operations compared to hip replacements is almost 8:1 within Kuwait.

As experience of the procedure grows in the region, combining the efforts of surgeons and the orthopaedic industry and the manufacturing companies is critically beneficial at this stage, said Dr Ali.

“I am happy with the way total knee replacements are progressing in Kuwait specifically and the region in general,” he said.

“What we can do now locally is to create open channels of communication between surgeons and the orthopaedic manufacturing companies, regarding medical cases. In addition, surgeons can begin to share the experiences from different hospitals in Kuwait, especially hospitals that are using the same prosthesis, to learn from each other.”

“In general, my approach will always be to try all the conservative, non invasive methods of improving the patient’s condition and only when these methods fail, will I recommend doing a total knee replacement procedure. My preference is to perform this procedure for patients who are above 50 year