Hear What Patients Have To Say / Patient Success Stories
Barry Alvarez

"The Oxford® Partial Knee allowed me to get back to an active lifestyle."

Coach Barry Alvarez is an accomplished Big 10 football coach. During his 16 seasons as head coach of the University of Wisconsin Football team, he led his team to three Rose Bowl victories and recorded the most wins for a Wisconsin football coach in school history.

Over time, his accomplishments on and off the field became overshadowed by constant knee pain. Coach Alvarez was suffering from osteoarthritis and he was literally sidelined. He coached part of the 2001 football season from the press-box because he was in such severe knee pain.

Coach Alvarez recalls, "My joint pain was so severe, it really affected my quality of life. I couldn't sleep at night, I'd have to get up and walk around...I was in pain 24 hours a day. It's like a constant toothache in your knee."

After a number of arthroscopic procedures that failed to provide relief, Coach Alvarez wanted a long-term solution for his knee pain. The solution was total knee replacement. However, he was told he was too young for joint replacement, so he endured another failed arthroscopic procedure before ultimately getting his total knee replacement.

Eight years after his total knee replacement, Coach Alvarez started having problems with his other knee. He recalls, "[It was] basically the same thing [as before], not quite as severe, but I knew I was going in that direction. It was getting to the point where I had pain just walking. I had pain throughout the day."

This time, Coach Alvarez was proactive about seeking treatment for his knee pain. He did not want to endure the pain and sleepless nights that he experienced only eight years previous. His second knee replacement was the Oxford® Partial Knee.

Some advantages of the Oxford® partial knee replacement are that it removes 75% less bone and cartilage, is less painful, enables a more rapid recovery, and provides more natural motion when compared to a total knee replacement.^1-3

Coach Alvarez says that, "with the Oxford® Partial Knee there was quite a difference between the two knees [total vs. Oxford® Partial]. I felt that I could walk right after I had the Oxford® [Knee]."

He explains, "It's much less invasive than total knee replacement and recovery time is considerably less. The Oxford® Partial Knee allowed me to get back to an active lifestyle once again. It allowed me to do the things I want to do."

Now that he has his Oxford® Partial Knee, Coach Alvarez says, "I don't have any knee pain. I walk, I'm very active, and I work out four to five days a week."

Barry's advice to those suffering with knee pain is, "if the pain in your knee affects your quality of life, if you can't get a good night's sleep, if you can't walk around the block, if you can't exercise, [talk with your doctor and] see if you qualify for an Oxford® Partial [Knee]."

The decision to have joint replacement surgery can be intimidating. If you have questions regarding the Oxford® Partial Knee, please speak with an orthopedic surgeon or search for an Oxford® Knee trained surgeon in your area.

This article is meant solely as a human interest story and is not meant to constitute medical advice.

Not all patients are candidates for partial knee replacement. Only your orthopedic surgeon can tell you if you're a candidate for joint replacement surgery, and if so, which implant is right for your specific needs. You should discuss your condition and treatment options with your surgeon. The Oxford® Meniscal Partial Knee is intended for use in individuals with osteoarthritis or avascular necrosis limited to the medial compartment of the knee and is intended to be implanted with bone cement. The Oxford® Partial Knee replacement is not indicated for use in the lateral compartment. Potential risks include, but are not limited to, loosening, dislocation, fracture, wear, and infection, any of which can require additional surgery. For additional information regarding Oxford® Partial knee replacement, refer to the patient risk information located at the top of this page and talk to your orthopedic surgeon.

While the patient in this story is a true recipient of the Oxford® Partial knee, his results are not necessarily typical, indicative, or representative of all Oxford® Partial knee patients. The Oxford® Partial knee has been used successfully in achieving restored mobility to many patients. However, as with any implanted device, there are factors affecting performance which ultimately result in variable outcomes, including levels of mobility and pain. These factors include, but are not limited to, the patient’s pre and post-operative health conditions, weight, activity level, and adherence to instructions regarding the use of the knee. Due to these variables, it is not possible to predict specific results or patient satisfaction.

The persons named in this article have consented to be named and have given Biomet, Inc. the exclusive right to use their personal and medical information for educational purposes.

Oxford® is a trademark of Biomet Manufacturing Corp.

¹ Data on file at Biomet. Note: bench test results do not necessarily indicate clinical performance.
² Murray, DW. "Mobile bearing Unicompartmental knee replacement." Orthopedics. 2005:28:985-987.
³ Deshmukh, RV, Scott, RD. "Unicompartmental knee Arthroplasty: long-term results." Clinical Orthopedics and Related Research. 2001; 392:272-278.

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