Arthritis is a common cause of hip and knee pain. It can be degenerative (osteoarthritis), inflammatory (rheumatoid, lupus), post-traumatic or due to avascular necrosis (lack of blood to the bone).
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Hip and knee replacement surgery are performed once patients have exhausted non-operative treatment. These surgeries are traditionally done with help of bone cutting guides. However, robotic assisted surgery is a novel alternative to conventional surgical techniques.
During knee replacement surgery, there are multiple surgical variables that are manually controlled by the orthopaedic surgeon. The challenge of aligning the implants and preparing the bones to accept it can be complex, invasive and time consuming as no two knee joints are exactly the same.
The robotic system is designed to help the surgeon not only plan the surgery based on a patient’s unique anatomy, but also position the total knee implant using a combination of computer and robotic assistance.
Robotic knee surgery allows the surgeon to collect patient-specific data during the procedure to build a 3D model of the patient’s knee to help plan the surgery. During the procedure, a handheld robotics assisted tool is used to position the specific cut guides exactly as intended, based on the patient-model.
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Another key feature of this system is the use of haptic technology which causes tactile feedback. If the surgeon was to deviate - intentionally or unintentionally from his initial plan by trying to make a different bony cut, the robot turns off the mechanism cutting the bone.
This extra layer of surgical precision and accuracy enables optimal implant placement for better patient outcomes and recovery. The robotics assisted tools are designed to help tailor the patient’s knee replacement surgery to the unique shape and motion of their knee.
Similarly during hip replacement surgery, surgical variables like implant position, restoring leg length and hip joint offset and centre of rotation of joint are difficult to achieve.
Sensor technology and the 3D optical navigation system provide dynamic information to the surgeon to enhance accuracy of the procedure. Robotic assisted hip surgery utilises a CT scan of the patient’s hip to generate a 3D model of their pelvis and femur. It helps accurately plan implant size, orientation and alignment. It provides real-time intra-operative adjustments for correct hip kinematics and soft-tissue balance to assist the surgeon in precise placement of the implant. Robotic assisted hip and knee replacement surgery has been available in the United States for a few years and in Australia since last year.
Knee and hip replacement surgery takes between one and one and a half hours depending on the joint pathology and type of components used (cemented or uncemented).
Recovery time for patients with knee replacement is around six to nine months and about three to six months for patients with hip replacement surgery.
Each patient is unique and can experience joint pain for different reasons. Talk to your doctor so you can understand treatment options.
Dr Vaibhav Punjabi specialises in robotic joint replacement surgery and operates at Wollongong Public and Private Hospitals and Shellharbour Private Hospital. His areas of expertise include primary and revision hip and knee replacement surgery, arthroscopic surgery, knee ligament reconstruction, fracture/trauma surgery and deformity correction. Call 1300 250 025 or go to seaviewclinic.com.au