Is the HemiCAP^® System right for me?

What is a HemiCAP?

The Arthrosurface HemiCAP resurfacing system is a comprehensive surgical solution for the treatment of articular cartilage lesions and defects in the body’s weight bearing, non-weight bearing, and extremity joints. An easy way to describe the HemiCAP implant is to correlate it to a dental procedure. When you have a cavity in your tooth, the dentist places a small filling into the cavity. Your joint cartilage can develop small "cavities" or potholes that need to be addressed as they can cause pain. An orthopaedic surgeon, who is trained on the Arthrosurface system, can perform minimally invasive surgery that will place a small implant in the defect ("cavity"), which can alleviate your pain and make your cartilage a smooth surface once again. The procedure (hemiarthroplasty) is the replacement of only one articular surface of a joint which means only a small amount of diseased tissue is being removed. The HemiCAP is a rounded, cap-like implant made from a cobalt chromium alloy with a central post on the implanted, (or bone) side. Cobalt chromium is a material that has been used in total joint reconstruction devices for over two decades. It has proven to provide a safe, effective, and strong weight-bearing surface in your joints. The fixation component looks like a screw and is made of Titanium (Ti), another material that has been used in orthopaedics for decades. The two components are connected together via a morse taper which is a very secure method of fixation.The HemiCAP system precisely aligns the surface of the implant to the contours of the patient's articular cartilage surface, thus filling the defect and restoring a smooth, continuous surface.

Is it right for me?

HemiCAP technology was designed for patients who want to live longer, continue working, retain more active lifestyles, and have an increased need for joint preserving treatments. If you are a middle aged person aged 40-70 and have pain in your joints then that is a good starting point for this discussion. As we get older, the pain in our joints becomes more of a nuisance and requires some attention. You may have tried simple things such as physical therapy and injections into your joints but they may not have yielded your desired results. You may have even tried a surgical procedure such as an arthroscopy or a microfracture procedure, but the pain and ache has returned especially after basic activity such as sports or chasing the kids around. It may be time to investigate a more durable procedure such as the HemiCAP from Arthrosurface.

HemiCAP System Advantages

• It is treatment option that "bridges the gap" between microfracture/injections and total joint replacement

• Clinical studies demonstrate positive clinical outcomes across different joints with over 30,000 HemiCAPs implanted globally
• Patients report outstanding pain relief, rapid recovery times and significant range of motion improvements in multi-center studies
• The procedure is designed to get patients back to work and life with minimal disruption. Surgery is typically performed in an outpatient center and the procedure takes less than one hour.
• The HemiCAP procedure allows for preservation of the joint and surrounding bone while maintaining your existing joint biomechanics. This allows normal motion and restoration of a smooth, continuous, articulating load-bearing surface
  
• The implants are designed to match the surface and contours being restored. The instruments and techniques apply to any joint surface, spherical, aspherical, convex, concave or convex-concave.