Robotic-Assisted Joint Replacement Surgery
Dr. Andrew Porter uses the Mako SmartRobotics Platform developed by Stryker to perform knee replacements at Sturdy Health. The system has been used by surgeons for almost 20 years and has excellent results.
The process beings by acquiring a CT scan of the knee several weeks prior to surgery. This is used to plan the patient’s knee replacement. It allows the doctors to determine the size of the necessary replacement, but most importantly, it allows them to identify how the implant will sit in the patient’s knee with a high degree of accuracy.
In the operating room, Dr. Porter registers the knee, makes some final adjustments and then brings a robotic arm into the field to execute the surgical plan to an extremely high degree of accuracy.
Studies have shown that the accuracy of the Mako total knee replacement system helps protects soft tissues and ligaments from damage. It also protects the collateral ligaments and the nerves and vessels in the back of the knee as well. All of this results in patients having less pain post-operatively, which means patients consume less narcotic pain medication post-operatively and can work with therapy a little bit more aggressively because they’re in less discomfort.
Dr. Porter can also utilize the robotic platform to perform hip replacements from an anterior approach.
Bone preservation is extremely important in joint replacement surgery. Although the goal for the vast majority of cases is to provide implants that will last a lifetime, there are occasions when the components wear out or something breaks or fractures around the implant. In those instances, when doctors have to go back in and revise that surgery and that joint replacement, it's hugely advantageous to have as much bone left as possible to work with.
Knee replacement patients are usually up and walking around with the physical therapy team an hour or two after surgery. Many patients even go home the same day.
In the first few weeks after surgery, nurses and therapists come to your house so you don’t need to leave for those types of appointments. Dr. Porter will see you back in the office two weeks after surgery, and at that point he will generally transition you to outpatient therapy.
In the long term, patients generally can get back to doing whatever they want to do. While there are some activities, such as running and high impact sports, which are discouraged because they can potentially wear through the components a little bit faster, there are some patients who chose to do those activities anyway and do so successfully. Still, patients are encouraged to try things like biking, cycling, ellipticals, and swimming -- lower impact activities that will reduce wear and tear on the new knee.
