A quick guide to robotic knee surgery

Robotic knee surgery utilises advanced technology to enhance surgical precision. It involves preoperative planning with patient-specific data, guiding the surgeon in implant positioning and sizing. During surgery, a robot assists in executing the plan, ensuring accurate placement of implants. Leading consultant orthopaedic surgeon Mr Panos Makrides explains more about this surgery, including the benefits and how it compares to traditional knee surgery.

What exactly does robotic knee surgery involve?

Robotic surgery plays a pivotal role in operations, working to enhance predictability and precision. When combined with proficient surgical skills, it significantly impacts the functional outcomes of surgeries. By minimising risks and increasing confidence, it assures patients of tangible results. It can precisely articulate the achievable outcomes, offering reassurance to patients.

How exactly is it performed?

Before performing robotic surgery, doctors can gather information from patients’ anatomy through scans and CT scans, then populate them onto a software on the computer that helps them plan the surgery according to patients’ individual anatomy.  During surgery, the computer or robot executes this plan by navigating the three-dimensional space of the operating theatre. However, the actual surgical decisions, such as the incision and knee approach, remain entirely in the hands of the surgeon. Robotic surgery represents a collaborative effort between science and surgical expertise, aimed at achieving optimal outcomes

What are the main benefits of robotic-assisted knee and hip replacement surgery?

While surgical technique and approach are significant aspects of surgery, another crucial element involves implant positioning and sizing. This process is informed by templating conducted with the assistance of scans and software. By ensuring that implants are precisely positioned according to the preoperative plans, guided by the robot's comprehension of the patient's three-dimensional orientation, surgeons can achieve a high level of accuracy in procedures.

Compared to traditional surgery, how effective, successful and safe is robotic surgery?

Robotic surgery encompasses two critical components. Firstly, there's the human aspect, involving the technical precision of the surgical approach. Secondly, there's the meticulous positioning of implants, which demands accuracy to the finest degree and millimetre. Achieving optimal outcomes requires a seamless integration of these elements, ensuring the delivery of the best possible results for the patient. Research corroborates that combining robotic surgery with proficient surgical technique leads to superior outcomes, including enhanced functional recovery, reduced pain, minimised blood loss during surgery, and shorter hospital stays.

If you would like to book a consultation with Mr Makrides, do not hesitate to do so by visiting his Top Doctors profile today.