Deciding on knee replacement surgery for a beloved pet can be a daunting and costly decision for pet owners, especially when considering the potential risks and outcomes. In the United States, many pet owners face this challenging dilemma when their pets suffer knee injuries.

A team of five senior students from the Department of Biomedical Engineering at Texas A&M University is working on a promising solution. Their project aims to improve the traditional knee implant design by adding new components to enhance joint stability and movement.

“Our goal is to create a secondary solution that allows joints to rotate, flex, and bend while staying securely in place,” explained team member Cole Mandrona.

Rev Knee

The team has developed the Rev Knee, a specialized process for creating custom implants for dogs needing knee revision surgery. The process starts with uploading CT scans of the dog's knee joint into software that recreates the unique tibial and femoral components.

“We segment the exact shape of the knee,” said team member Sampriti Ramakrishnan. “These segmentations are then customized using modified software, and we can 3D print a model of the knee.”

Outdated Current Model

Current knee implants in the U.S. rely on the animal’s ligaments for movement and connection to the leg bones, which can increase the risk of surgical failure. The new design aims to work even if the ligaments are removed, addressing initial problems or damage to the ligaments.

Sponsored by Dr. Brian Saunders, an associate professor at the School of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, the project is part of a collaboration between the veterinary school and the biomedical engineering department to improve health outcomes for both animals and humans.

The team also received guidance from industry professionals, including a meeting with DePuy Synthes, an orthopedics company under Johnson & Johnson. “They use a similar customized workflow for humans, so we learned a lot from them,” Ramprishnan noted.

While the project focuses on canine knee replacements, Dr. Balakrishna Haridas, a professor in the Department of Biomedical Engineering, suggested that the technology could also benefit pediatric patients in the future.

“Our goal is to eventually translate this technology for pediatric use,” Ramprishnan said. “With pediatrics, we need to consider the patient’s growth, but starting with animals has been a unique and rewarding experience.”