Experience The Revolution: Robotic Surgery For Hip & Knee Replacements

Less Pain and Faster Recovery with Robotic Surgery

Sometimes, people need to have a joint replaced. A variety of underlying issues might be to blame, including arthritis or even sustained use performing high-intensity activities. Any joint in the body might need to be replaced, but some of the most common areas include the hips and knees. In the past, getting a joint replaced was a lengthy process. The actual surgery took a significant amount of time, required large incisions, and left unsightly scars. Meanwhile, recovery could take months to a year. The evolution of robotic surgery is changing that reality with smaller incisions and faster recovery that lets people get back to regular life quickly.

Robotic orthopedic surgery

Joint replacement surgery is officially called an arthroplasty. A robotic surgery, known as a Mako robotic-arm assisted orthopedic surgery, relies on a robot rather than a surgeon to make the incisions and perform all necessary tasks to remove damaged tissues, insert the prosthetic materials, and close the surgical site. While the surgeon is still providing oversight, the bulk of all essential tasks are performed by the robot. Although no operation is without risk, robotic surgeries tend to have significantly lower risks than open or minimally invasive surgery performed manually. Joint replacement surgeries can include partial or total procedures where either some or all of the affected joint is removed and replaced.

Benefits of robotic surgery

Quite a few obvious benefits exist from having robotic surgery performed. Most importantly, robots provide enhanced precision that translates to smaller incisions and faster recoveries. Because this procedure relies on cutting-edge technology that accurately measures exactly how much material must be removed and the exact placement of prosthetics, fewer complications are likely to occur afterward. Likewise, patients that recover from this type of surgery report having shorter healing timelines thanks to the smaller incisions and operation sites. Specifically, since less tissue needs to be disturbed to replace the joint, the healing time is shortened significantly. Unlike traditional methods featuring 6-12 weeks for immediate healing and up to a full year for complete mobility, robotic surgeries can have patients back to work within as few as 2-6 weeks after surgery.

Qualifying for robotic surgery

Not every individual with pain in the hip or knee joint will be encouraged to consider robotic joint replacement surgery. Specifically, people that are considered the best candidates will experience significant pain that interferes with daily life, limits mobility, and have joints that respond poorly to other non-surgical options. However, most people that are candidates for joint replacement will be able to consider robotic surgery for faster treatment and recovery.

The latest technology in joint replacement

Whether a partial or total joint replacement, robotic surgery offers significant advantages over traditional or even manually guided laparoscopic surgeries. Ultimately, a patient’s current knee or hip pain, extent of the damage, and other underlying health concerns will dictate whether a surgeon thinks the person is a good candidate for the procedure. If joint pain in the hips or knees is impacting quality of life and reducing mobility, consider speaking with an orthopedic specialist.