2. History
• Les Dace – inventor
o Electrical and mechanical engineering
o Retired
o Epiphany!
Les Dace, BS, personal communication, March 28, 2014.
Marc Jacofsky, PHd, personal communication, February 28, 2014.
3. History, cont.
• Marc Jacofsky
o Vice President of Research and Development, Core
Institute
o Helped develop biotech incubator in Surprise
o Recognized potential of Secure Tracks
Marc Jacofsky, PHd, personal communication, February 28, 2014.
5. Usage and Specs
• How to use it
• Cleared up to 350 lbs
• No electrical components
• Track design
Les Dace, BS, personal communication, March 28, 2014.
Marc Jacofsky, PHd, personal communication, February 28, 2014.
6. Usage and Specs, cont.
• Advantages
o Patient security
o Posture, gait
o Increased ambulation
Marc Jacofsky, PHd, personal communication, February 28, 2014.
o Therapist observation
o Decreased injury risk
o Wheel chair use
8. Secure Tracks Device Improves
Functional Recovery and Pain after Total
Knee Arthroplasty: A Prospective,
Randomized, Pilot Study
• Unilateral TKA
• Control: 15 patients with walker
• Study: 15 patients with Secure Tracks
9. Results…
• Ambulated ~2x further
• Decreased pain
• Significantly better TUG scores
• THA showed similar findings
10. What does this mean???
• Better circulation
• Lower risk of DVT
• Maintain strength
• Load implants
• Bone remodeling process
• Shorter hospital stay???
• Fewer complications???
Marc Jacofsky, PHd, personal communication, February 28, 2014.
11. Compared to LiteGait
• Only runs on track
• Not designed for unweighting
• Less space required
• No harness
• Efficient
Marc Jacofsky, PHd, personal communication, February 28, 2014.
Les Dace, BS, personal communication, March 28, 2014.
12. Future uses
• Stroke
• Other patients with neurological impairments
• Any gait retraining
Marc Jacofsky, PHd, personal communication, February 28, 2014.
Les Dace, BS, personal communication, March 28, 2014.
13. References
• Jacofsky DJ, Kocisky S, Dixon D, Jacofsky MC. Secure
Tracks Device Improves Functional Recovery and Pain
after Total Knee Arthroplasty: A Prospective,
Randomized, Pilot Study. Surgical Technology
International. 2010; 20.
Editor's Notes
Degrees in electrical and mechanical engineering
Mostly did medical software development
Retired to City of Surprise
Wife, Pamela, woke up with epiphany – this is our calling in life!
Went to City of Surprise to use their incubator space for development, and he was directed to the Core Institute
Finished product looks almost exactly like original concept; a few mechanical changes
Undergrad – University of Binghamton – geological sciences and physical anthropology
ASU – masters and PhD in anthropology and dual degree in bioengineering and anthropology
In charge of running and building research program and product development
Biomechanical testing, gait and motion analysis, clinical research, filing all patents, making prototypes for physicians who have new and innovating ideas
Had worked with City of Surprise to develop biotech incubator
Seemed like great device, but had no data; partnered with Les for first research study
Describe usage
Unfold from ceiling – handle for shorter therapists
Eyeball pt first to begin adjustments
System brought up behind pt up against pt’s back
Arm rests sit ~2” below axillae
Snug fit, but not too tight
Strap pt – seat belts
If pt falls/passes out, arms don’t go flying overhead
No slipping out of device
Tested up to 700lbs
Cleared for 350lbs
Helps avoid usage for transporting bariatric pts
No electrical components; purely mechanical
Hydraulic piston in arm of device raises and lowers
Adjustable components
Height range with pts 6’4” down to height of tall child (hasn’t been used with pediatric populations)
Width adjustable – only one crank adjusts both arms’ width
On a track in any shape – already used in circular/oval shape in other hospitals
Can be designed with offloading branch from track to store multiple tracks and allow multiple patients on the track at a time
Patient security
Still using walker for mobility when not in Secure Tracks
Patient posture and gait
Allows for more normal independent gait than walker possibly due to less restriction which can lead to shuffled gait
Increased ambulation less fear of ambulation throughout recovery process earlier independent ambulation at home
Fear – even though implant designed to withstand incredible loads, stronger than original joint, still afraid; had arthritic knee before, not used to bearing weight
Secure Track helps reduce fear of complete weight-bearing
Leads to shorter hospital stay???
Therapist observation
Decrease PT injury risk
Easy use with wheel chairs that have removable back to assist pts to standing, ambulating
Outcome measures: Knee Society Scores, TUG, VAS
Ambulated distance
From day of surgery to post-op day 3
Consistently between 50% and 100% more distance covered
Total distance covered: 2332 ft with ST; 1241 with control
Knee Society Scores
Pre-op ST group – started out with greater pain and less function than control
2 weeks postop ST group – ended with similar pain levels and function, so ultimately greater pain decrease
TUG – time and VAS
Pre-op – similar time, slightly greater pain than control
Discharge – similar TUG scores with both time and pain
2 weeks – 3 seconds faster than control, half as much pain on VAS
Patients who were rehabbed with ST for second knee replacement report wishing they had had this device with their first replacement
Folds up to ceiling, so doesn’t require extra storage space
No harness means that it’s easier to get in and out of device
Very easy and time efficient – took less than 20 seconds for me to get out and put device away when patient was being wheeled down hall
Really looking next at patients who have suffered from stroke
Some stroke survivors have used it for gait training
Need formal studies
Design modification with forearm rests
May be used in the future with patients who have Parkinson’s, MS, etc
Although not designed for unweighting, may be used for any patients requiring gait-retraining
