Saving active knees: MAKOplasty delays total knee replacement surgery | by Debra Melani

Posted on Thu, Nov 1, 2012

By staying abreast of the latest surgical advancements, HealthONE’s orthopedic surgeons help keep Coloradoans active by putting them back on their feet as quickly as possible. With the rise in knee replacements spurred largely by active baby boomers, one revolutionary technology being used today can delay the need for total knee replacement surgery for a decade or more.

MAKOplasty with the RIO Robotic Arm Interactive Orthopedic system is a highly-precise, minimally invasive partial knee-resurfacing procedure used on patients whose osteoarthritis has not progressed to all three knee compartments. “The selling point that got me was that the partial knee implants, with the use of preoperative computerized surgical navigation and intra-operative robotic assistance, are perfectly positioned in the patient’s knee 100-percent of the time,” says Sky Ridge Medical Center’s Dr. Harold Hunt, the first to perform the surgery for HealthONE.

With the use of a preoperative CT scan, the system’s computer creates a 3-D model of the knee allowing precise preoperative sizing and positioning of the partial knee replacement implants. Healthy bone, ligaments and tissues are saved, leading to better, more normal function and faster recovery times.

To be a candidate for the procedure, patients must:

• Have isolated osteoarthritis localized to one or two knee compartments.
• Have failed to respond to non-surgical treatments.
• Have both of their cruciate ligaments intact.
• Have the ability to fully straighten their leg.
• Have legs that are not bow-legged or knock-kneed more than 15 degrees.

 

Tags: Dr. Harold Hunt, HealthONE, knees, Sky Ridge Medical Center

Comments

1. Nathan Johnson says:

   April 6, 2016 at 2:07 pm

   Thanks for talking about this new technology that allows robots to help with surgery. This is cool because this procedure allows patients to delay the need for a total knee replacement. How long does it take the average patient to recover from a surgery like this? Thanks for posting!

   Reply