Robotic Assisted Orthopedic Surgery

If you’re a good candidate for traditional knee replacement surgery, you’re a good candidate for robotic knee replacement.

However, depending on the severity of your condition, your doctor may recommend less invasive treatment methods first, such as:

• Anti-inflammatory medications
• Weight loss through diet and exercise
• Cortisone shots
• Physical therapy
• Knee braces

One of the most common misconceptions about robotic knee replacement is that the surgery is done 100% robotically.

That’s simply not the case – while the procedure is assisted by a robotic arm, your orthopedic surgeon is still in control. The robotic arm’s only job is to help the surgeon perform with greater precision.

With a traditional total knee replacement, the average patient won’t be able to resume normal activities like driving and going to work until 4 to 6 weeks after surgery. Robot-assisted technology could potentially cut this recovery time in half.

Smaller incisions combined with greater surgical precision means that less bone and tissue is disturbed, speeding up the body’s natural healing process.

Knee replacement surgery using robotics sounds like a futuristic goal, but that future is now. Physicians have begun using robotics during surgery, relying on a machine’s precise movements to assist them with procedures that demand great accuracy, such as knee replacement.

Some patients feel hesitant when they learn about new robotic knee replacement surgery options. They wonder if they’re safe and if there are risks involved with this surgery. The truth is, patients receive many benefits when they choose robotic surgery.

Robotic knee replacement surgery comes with the same risks as traditional knee surgery. These include, but are not limited to:

• Nerve damage
• Deep vein thrombosis (blood clots)
• Infection
• Allergic reaction to the artificial joint