Business Wire: The Austin Diagnostic Clinic Becomes First in Texas to Offer Patients Innovative Computer-Assisted Surgery Technology

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The Austin Diagnostic Clinic Becomes First in Texas to Offer Patients Innovative Computer-Assisted Surgery Technology

SAN DIEGO -- The Austin Diagnostic Clinic Advances Standard of Care for Total Knee Replacement Surgery by Being the First in Texas to Utilize the PiGalileo(TM) Computer-Assisted Surgery System

PLUS Orthopedics USA, Inc., a leading distributor of total joint replacement systems and innovative Computer-Assisted Orthopedic Surgery technology, today announced that The Austin Diagnostic Clinic is the first healthcare facility in the southern United States to utilize its PiGalileo(TM) Computer-Assisted Orthopedic Surgery system. With the adoption of this innovative technology, The Austin Diagnostic Clinic is now the first facility in Texas and in the entire southern United States to be able to provide patients this advanced Computer-Assisted Orthopedic Surgery technology for total knee replacement surgery.

The PiGalileo(TM) Computer-Assisted Orthopedic Surgery System from PLUS Orthopedics combines advanced Computer-Assisted Surgery and electro mechanical motorized instrument positioning technologies to assist the surgeon in total knee replacement procedures. Surgeries done with PiGalileo(TM) are still performed by a surgeon, with navigation and mechanized technologies aiding the surgeon in instrument positioning. Surgeons at The Austin Diagnostic Clinic who use the PiGalileo(TM) technology will be provided critical real-time intra-operative feedback to help improve precision, thereby potentially leading to better implant alignment and positioning.

"The clinical benefits of computer-assisted surgery have been well documented in peer-reviewed literature, and I believe that in the future this will be considered the standard of care for total knee replacement surgery," said Dr. Tyler Goldberg, orthopedic surgeon at The Austin Diagnostic Clinic. "The PiGalileo(TM) system will definitely improve surgical accuracy and therefore improve surgical outcomes, and I am thrilled to be the first orthopedic surgeon in Texas to be able to offer this cutting-edge technology to my patients."

Medical literature has shown that a common cause of joint implant failure is implant misalignment, with a misalignment of only 3-degrees being strongly correlated to excessive wear on the joint and implant failure over time. Computer-Assisted Orthopedic Surgery with the PiGalileo(TM) system aims to position the knee implants optimally for the patient, thereby reducing the potential for misalignment and future complications.

Since its international release in 1999, there are over 70 PiGalileo(TM) systems installed throughout the world, which have supported more than 10,000 surgical procedures.

With this most recent installation, there are now 5 facilities in the United States where this technology is available, including: Mercy Medical Center in Nampa, Idaho (Dr. Gary Botimer); Arroyo Grande Hospital in Arroyo Grande, California (Dr. Tom Ferro); Mercy Medical Center in Rockville Centre, New York (Dr. Jan Koenig), Southern Maryland Hospital Center in Clinton, Maryland (Dr. Jeffrey Sabloff); and The Austin Diagnostic Clinic in Austin, Texas (Dr. Tyler Goldberg).

About PLUS Orthopedics USA, Inc.

PLUS Orthopedics USA, Inc. is a wholly owned subsidiary of PLUS Orthopedics Holding, AG, a manufacturer of implant systems for the hip, knee and shoulder joints, as well as products for the treatment of orthopedic trauma, since 1997. PLUS Orthopedics USA, Inc., headquartered in San Diego, California, is now bringing these products to patients across the U.S. with a commitment to offering our customers high quality products and services with proven results. For more information visit the company's web site at www.plusortho.com.