Persona IQ® Knee Replacement Implants

The World’s First & Only Smart Knee Implant

Dr. James Ballard has always strived to keep his practice at the forefront of medical innovation, adopting new technologies when he feels patients truly stand to benefit from it.

The Persona IQ® knee implant is one of the most exciting new technologies to enter the knee replacement market. It is a smart knee implant that allows Dr. Ballard and his team to monitor patients’ progress in recovery in ways that were previously not possible, including measuring key recovery metrics. This allows the team to intervene sooner than with traditional knee replacement if there are any issues in the recovery process.

While the idea of a “smart” implant may sound a bit novel, smart technology has made our lives easier in many other ways, from fitness trackers to virtual assistants and even smart home appliances. If we can harness that technology to help with the recovery process for a major operation like knee replacement, why not use it?

Since Persona IQ® is the first of its kind, you probably have several questions about how it works and its benefits. You can learn more below, and we welcome you to reach out to Dr. Ballard’s office at 503-656-0836 or request an appointment if you’d like to schedule a consultation.

What is the Persona IQ®?

The Persona IQ® by Zimmer Biomet is the first and only smart knee implant to be granted FDA approval for total knee replacement. It was developed in partnership with Canary Medical, a company that has developed other smart implantable devices aimed at improving patient monitoring and outcomes.

The implant has sensors that measure key metrics in knee replacement recovery, including range of motion in the knee, step count, walking speed, and other gait metrics. Once Dr. Ballard has placed the implant in the knee, he and his team will be able to monitor the data remotely, so patients are able to get more frequent and accurate check-ins on their progress beyond post-operative appointments. Patients will also have access to their own data, so that they can check in on their progress as well.

How does the Persona IQ® work?

Most smart devices have to be charged regularly or plugged into an outlet to work, so you might be wondering how a smart knee implant can continually collect data. The Persona IQ® uses a pacemaker battery, the safest and most tested battery for use inside the body. The battery lasts for approximately 20 years, so there’s no need to “charge” your new knee once it’s been implanted.

Once implanted, the knee will record and wirelessly transmit data to a base station in the patient’s home. That data is then securely delivered to a HIPAA compliant cloud-based platform, where both Dr. Ballard and the patient can access it. Persona IQ® will also work with mymobility®, Zimmer Biomet’s remote care management platform that tracks pre- and post-operative mobility metrics.

What are the benefits of Persona IQ®?

With knee replacement surgery, it is very important that patients stick to recovery protocols to have the best possible outcomes. Sometimes, patients might not be moving enough or may actually be overdoing it. Often, when patients are feeling good after a knee replacement, they may inadvertently be more active than they should be for their recovery stage. While it may feel like you are doing great by hitting targets ahead of schedule, for a knee replacement, getting ahead of yourself can be detrimental to long-term results.

While Dr. Ballard and his team do everything they can to support patients in recovery and empower them with the right information, the time between regular post-op checkups don’t allow for much leeway to course-correct if the patient’s recovery is behind or ahead of schedule. It can also just be difficult for a patient to tell if they’re doing too much or too little as they try to get back to normal life. Persona IQ® helps you and Dr. Ballard stay in touch with your progress between appointments so that our team can help you adjust course if needed and help you hit that “just right” level of activity.

Is the Persona IQ® surgery different from a regular knee replacement?

Dr. Ballard’s process for implanting Persona IQ® knees is exactly the same as a regular knee replacement. The surgery can still be done as an outpatient procedure at Oregon Surgical Institute (OSI) if desired, and Rosa robotic technology can be used to implant the knee.

The real difference is in the recovery process, with the ability to monitor your progress and stay on target without overdoing it.

How can I get a Persona IQ® knee implant?

Dr. James Ballard is now offering Persona IQ® knee implants for eligible patients. Dr. Ballard has offices in Oregon City and Tualatin, OR, but also frequently sees patients from across the country who want to benefit from the latest in knee replacement technology. Having over 20 years of experience with knee replacement surgery, he is pleased to be able to offer a new technology that can greatly benefit patients in their recovery.

To learn more and schedule a consultation with Dr. Ballard, please call 503-656-0836 or request an appointment via our online form.