Robotic knee replacment surgery: What are the advantages?

Robotic knee replacements are increasingly popular, and have a number of advantages over traditional surgery, in his latest online article, renowned consultant orthopaedic hip and knee surgeon Mr Tofunmi Oni offers his expert insight into this procedure. He explains what the procedure entails, and the many benefits of robotic surgery.

What does robotic knee replacement surgery entail?

In order to answer this, we have to first explain what a total knee replacement entails. This is when a surgeon removes damaged parts of the knee and replaces them with new metal and plastic articulating components. This does not change whether you have a robotic knee or a conventional knee replacement.

It is important to highlight that during robotic knee surgery, the robot does not perform the surgery. It is simply a tool that the surgeon uses instead of manual alignment tools in order to improve the outcome. All implementations of actions are still performed by the surgeon who guides the robotic hardware to optimise the positions and to get better implant insertion.

How does robotic surgery differ from traditional new replacement procedures?

Robotic and traditional knee replacements vary both from a surgical point of view and from a practical point of view. From a surgical point of view, the difference lies in the improved precision and bespoke alignment. The use of robotics allows for much greater precision of surgery and for the creation of a virtual map of an individual's knee. It also allows the surgeon to simulate multiple different actions, and thus get the best possible outcome according to that specific patient’s knee.

From a practical point of view, there is not much difference in how the patient feels post-operatively. They may have extra one-centimetre incisions either at the level of the shin or at the level of the mid-thigh, but this does not really affect patients’ rehabilitation. In actual fact, what we do find is patients tend to recover much quicker after a robotic knee replacement rather than conventional knee replacements.

Is robotic surgery better than conventional knee replacement?

As mentioned already, robotic surgery allows for better accuracy, and better balance for the knee. It's a more predictable course of surgery because all eventualities can be predicted prior to actually making any actions or cuts. This ultimately leads to much better alignment and positioning within the patient's soft tissue.

In Australia, a very high volume of robotic knee replacements have been done for the last 15 years or so, and all data is pointing to better functionality and better longevity for knee replacements.

Are there any risks or possible side effects of robotic surgery?

There are no side effects of using the robotic system itself. There are usually extra one-centimetre incisions through the shin and thigh, but this does not have any increased overall risk that you would have from a manual surgery.

Are all patients suitable for robotic surgery?

If a patient is suitable for a total knee replacement, then it's highly likely they're suitable for robotic knee replacements. There are no true contraindications to robotic use.

If you would like to book a consultation with Mr Tofunmi Oni, you can do so today via his Top Doctors profile.