Our knees bend and move around whenever we walk, sit, or even sleep – so when a knee hurts, it can hurt badly and constantly. If you have endured years of discomfort and chronic knee pain, but nonsurgical methods no longer help minimize your pain, there is some good news.
MAKOplasty robotically assisted surgery is a relatively new computer-assisted technique that surgeons can use to replace part or all of your injured knee. If you do not require a whole new knee, only the diseased or injured portions of the knee can be replaced, thereby keeping as much of your original knee as possible. If a partial knee replacement is not enough, because the entire knee is worn out, then a full knee replacement would be the definitive treatment course. Both a partial and a total knee replacement can now be performed with the guidance of the MAKOplasty robotic system.
What Is MAKOplasty?
This procedure uses an innovative, robot-assisted surgical “arm” instrument that enables precise and pinpointed targeting of the diseased portion of the knee. This way, your surgeon can remove only the damaged tissues and does not disturb the healthy tissues.
MAKOplasty is a 3D planning and guidance tool that allows a surgeon to pre-plan each individualized surgery. This can help to ensure a better fit for the portions of the knee that are being replaced.
How Is It Done?
During a standard CT scan, a 3D model of the patient’s knee is created. This model is then used to plan the surgery and determine the perfect size for the implant (prosthesis), the correct alignment for these implants, and where to remove the areas of arthritis.
At the time of surgery, before beginning the procedure, your surgeon can move the joint around and confirm its proper alignment, movement, and stability. The physician can then make any modifications to the prosthesis plan and ensure it is the proper fit before even beginning the operation. Your surgeon will then guide the robotic arm during the surgery, removing the areas of arthritis or other damage. Based on the model created by the CT scan, only the diseased portion of the knee will be resurfaced. The perfectly sized replacement prosthetic will then be inserted by the surgeon so that the joint is no longer bone rubbing against bone.
Results of MAKOplasty vs. Traditional Knee Replacement Surgery
Various studies that have followed MAKOplasty patients report lower pain scores than those in the control group (those who received a conventional joint replacement). As far as overall satisfaction with the procedure, MAKOplasty patients often reported less pain and better mobility after their procedure than those who had traditional joint replacement surgery.
MAKOplasty can allow surgeons to plan and perform knee surgery much more accurately than with conventional joint-replacement procedures. Patients who received MAKOplasty also reported less trauma or damage to soft tissue structures during the procedure, such as nearby muscles and tissues.
The MAKOplasty system may allow for less bleeding during knee replacement surgery, faster recovery, shorter hospital stays, and more accurate bone removal and implant placement. This can result in a better-performing and functioning knee than in patients who underwent conventional surgery.
Knee Surgeon in Raleigh, Durham, and Apex, in the Triangle region of North Carolina with EmergeOrtho.
If you have chronic knee pain, seek an orthopedic surgeon who can use MAKOplasty technology to ensure that you will have the best possible knee replacement experience. Dr. Brett J. Gilbert completed his medical school and orthopedic residency at Duke, and an additional joint replacement fellowship at Rush in Chicago. He now has offices conveniently located in Raleigh, Apex, and Brier Creek.
Call us today at (919) 788-8797 or you can request an appointment with Dr. Gilbert using our appointment request form, or you can self-schedule your appointment here and learn how you can benefit from his MAKOplasty-assisted surgical techniques to relieve your knee pain – so you can get back to enjoying life again.
