Backus Hospital is the only hospital in Southeastern Connecticut to offer the latest a new robotic surgery for hip and knee procedures
In 2015, Backus began performing Mako Robotic-Arm Assisted Surgery for partial knee resurfacing and total hip replacement procedures using the RIO® Robotic Arm Interactive Orthopedic System. RIO is a surgeon-controlled robotic arm system that enables accurate alignment and placement of implants.
The Mako System robotic procedure for partial knee resurfacing and total hip replacement procedures uses the RIO® Robotic Arm Interactive Orthopedic System. RIO is a surgeon-controlled robotic arm system that enables accurate alignment and placement of implants.
“This technology gives me an extra tool to ensure accuracy. In a partial knee procedure for example, I’m able to manually stretch and balance the knee during surgery and use the computer navigation to my advantage—assuring proper alignment and balance,” said surgeon Scott Stanat, MD, of Norwich Orthopedic Group.
The RIO System features a patient-specific visualization system and robotic arm technology that is integrated with intelligent surgical instruments. It assists surgeons in pre-planning and in treating each patient uniquely and consistently.
“This technology allows us to implant the joints more accurately. That’s the big advantage. If we implant the components more accurately during a hip replacement for example, patients have less of a chance of a dislocation or one leg being shorter or longer than the other,” said William Cambridge, MD, of New London County Orthopedic Surgery.
During the Mako System total hip replacement surgery, RIO provides visualization of the joint and bio-mechanical data to guide the bone preparation and implant positioning to match the pre-surgical plan. After first preparing the femur or thighbone, the surgeon uses the robotic arm to accurately ream and shape the acetabulum socket in the hip, and then implant the cup at the correct depth and orientation. The surgeon then implants the femoral implant. Mako Robotic-Arm Assisted Surgery can help surgeons with more accurate cup placement and leg length restoration.
Mako System Partial Knee Resurfacing is a treatment option for adults living with early to mid-stage osteoarthritis that has not yet progressed to all three compartments of the knee. It is less invasive than traditional total knee surgery. A pre-surgical plan is created based on a CT scan of the patient’s own knee, and the surgeon uses the robotic arm during surgery to resurface the diseased portion of the knee, sparing healthy bone and surrounding tissue for a more natural feeling knee. An implant is then secured in the joint to allow the knee to move smoothly again.
Because of the less-invasive nature of the procedure, patients recover faster and the number of patients needing revision is less than 1%. Other benefits of the Mako System knee and hip procedures can include a smaller incision, reduced blood loss, bone sparing, shorter hospitalizations and a more rapid return to every day life’s activities.