Benefits of Robotic Knee Replacement

According to the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons, total knee replacement is one of the most successful surgeries in all of medicine with more than 600,000 procedures each year.

During knee replacement surgery, worn out or damaged sections of the knee joint are removed and replaced with artificial implants. Robotic knee replacement has been developed in the last decade by a number of implant companies. In a robotic total knee replacement, I use computed tomography (CT) scans to construct a virtual model of your knee. With that model as a guide, I use the robotic arm in surgery to make repairs and place the components of the new knee accurately. Many people ask if the robotic arm is doing the surgery. The answer is no. The robotic arm is a tool that I use in surgery, and it is always under my direction.

Robotic knee replacement has many benefits for you as the patient. These include:

• Greater Precision: Robotic assisted technology allows for a high degree of accuracy and precision in surgery. The pre-operative plan is based on your unique anatomy allowing the surgery to be customized to each individual patient. This promotes better bone alignment and soft tissue balancing.
• Minimal Trauma: Because robotic knee replacement is minimally invasive, there are smaller incisions and less trauma to surrounding tissues, blood vessels, nerves, muscles, and ligaments.
• Increased Safety: The robotic arm is programmed to remain within certain parameters based on your individual knee. This helps protect soft tissues from unintentional injury.
• Faster Recovery: Many times robotic knee replacement can be performed in an outpatient setting. A shorter hospital stay, smaller incisions, and greater accuracy all lead to faster recovery times.
• Longer life: Robotic knee replacement decreases implant loosening and failure. Typically, patients say that the implant feels more natural which leads to better support from the ligaments and muscles. As a result of greater outcomes, there is an increase in life expectancy for the implant itself.

If you are considering knee replacement, please reach out to us about robotic knee replacement and whether it is a viable option for you. The goal of knee replacement is to relieve pain and restore the alignment and function of your knee. There are many benefits to this procedure and my goal is to deliver to my patients the most compassionate and technically advanced care that is possible. I want to get you back to the activities that you love and robotic knee replacement may be a great option for you.