Asking About the Jiffy Knee? Here Is What It Is
Patients have started coming into the office asking about something called the Jiffy Knee. It is a fair question and it deserves a straight answer, so here it is.
What the Jiffy Knee is
Jiffy Knee is a brand name for a quad-sparing total knee replacement. The technique underneath the brand is the subvastus approach, which reaches the knee joint from beneath the quadriceps muscle rather than cutting through the quadriceps tendon.
The subvastus approach itself is not new and it is not proprietary. It first appeared in the surgical literature in 1929 and was described for modern total knee replacement by Hofmann and colleagues in 1991. It has been compared with the traditional approach in randomized trials for over thirty years.
Surgeons who use the trademarked name train through the program that owns it, and that program keeps its own directory of surgeons. Many surgeons perform the same underlying approach without using the brand name.
What Dr. Cien does
Dr. Cien performs the subvastus quad-sparing approach for appropriately selected patients, here in Michiana. He is fellowship trained in adult hip and knee reconstruction and knee replacement is most of what he does.
He combines the approach with a recovery protocol built around controlling swelling in the first two weeks, because swelling is what costs patients their range of motion. Therapy starts between day 5 and day 10 rather than immediately, for that reason.
He is not affiliated with the Jiffy Knee program and does not use the name for his surgery. The approach is the same family of technique. The brand is not the same thing, and it is worth understanding the difference before you travel for one.
How to think about the choice
The published evidence compares surgical approaches. It does not compare brand names. What the trials show is that a quad-sparing approach gives patients an easier first six weeks than the traditional approach, with the same result long term.
No published study shows that one branded version of the subvastus approach outperforms another. What reliably does affect your result is where the implant sits, how well the knee is balanced, how many of these your surgeon does, and what your recovery protocol looks like.
If a quad-sparing approach is what you want, the question to ask any surgeon is simple. Do you cut the quadriceps tendon to reach the joint? The answer to that question tells you what you need to know, whatever the technique is called.
Come in and ask
If you came here after reading about the Jiffy Knee, bring the question to your consultation. Dr. Cien will examine your knee, review your x-rays, and tell you whether a quad-sparing approach is an option for you. Offices in South Bend, Mishawaka, Plymouth, and Elkhart.
Jiffy Knee™ is a trademark of its owner. Dr. Adam Cien and South Bend Orthopaedics are not affiliated with, endorsed by, or trained through the Jiffy Knee program. This page is provided to answer a question patients ask in the office.
Questions patients ask about the Jiffy Knee
What is the Jiffy Knee?
Is there a Jiffy Knee surgeon near South Bend?
Surgeons who use the trademarked name train through the program that owns it, and that program keeps its own directory. Dr. Cien is not part of that program. He performs the subvastus quad-sparing approach, which is the underlying technique, in South Bend, Mishawaka, Plymouth, and Elkhart.
Is the subvastus approach the same thing as the Jiffy Knee?
The surgical approach is the same family of technique. The brand name, the instruments, and the recovery protocol vary from surgeon to surgeon. The approach is what the published evidence is about.
Is this a new procedure?
No. The subvastus approach first appeared in the surgical literature in 1929 and was described for modern total knee replacement by Hofmann and colleagues in 1991. It has been studied in randomized trials for decades.
Do I have to travel to get a quad-sparing knee replacement?
No. It is available here in Michiana. Dr. Cien performs the subvastus approach for appropriately selected patients at offices in South Bend, Mishawaka, Plymouth, and Elkhart.
Is one better than the other?
The published evidence compares surgical approaches, not brand names, and it does not show one branded version of the subvastus approach outperforming another. Implant position, surgeon experience, and the recovery protocol matter more than what the technique is called.
What should I ask my surgeon?
Ask whether they cut the quadriceps tendon to reach the joint. Ask how many knee replacements they perform each year. Ask when therapy starts and what the first six weeks look like. Ask what they would do if your knee turns out not to be a candidate for a muscle-sparing approach.
Does insurance cover it?
The surgical approach does not change how a total knee replacement is coded or billed. Coverage depends on your plan and your indication for surgery, not on which approach your surgeon uses. Our office can help you check your benefits.
Can it be done with a robot?
Yes. Dr. Cien uses Mako robotic-arm assisted technology, and it can be used alongside the quad-sparing approach. They do different jobs. The approach is how the joint is reached. The robot helps with planning and implant position.
How do I get an appointment?
Call 574-247-5164 or request an appointment online. Offices in South Bend, Mishawaka, Plymouth, and Elkhart.
