Robotic Arm Assisted Joint Replacement

When a patient suffers from joint degeneration, a total knee, total hip or partial knee replacement can often relieve pain and improve function. The Mako™ Robotic-Arm Assisted Surgery System, one type of replacement surgery we offer, is transforming the way joint replacement procedures are performed.

Before surgery, a computed tomography (CT) scan of the knee or hip is used to create a virtual 3D model of the patient’s unique anatomy. With that model, our surgeons use Stryker’s cutting-edge Mako SmartRobotics™ technology to develop a personalized surgical plan before entering the operating room.

During the procedure, the Mako technology and robotic arm help the surgeon clearly identify diseased areas of the bone and preserve healthy tissue. Adjustments to the treatment plan are made as needed during the surgery. This helps us replace damaged sections of the joint while saving healthy bone and ligaments around it.

After the damaged sections of the joint are removed, they are replaced with an artificial prosthesis. The surgeon-controlled robotic-arm helps the surgeon execute the procedure with a high degree of accuracy.

Mako technology was first brought to Atlantic Health System in early 2017, when Overlook Medical Center began using the Mako System to perform partial knee replacements using a robotic-arm.

Robotic Partial Knee Replacement

Available at Overlook Medical Center, this minimally-invasive treatment option is designed to relieve pain caused by joint degeneration due to early- to mid-stage osteoarthritis. It can be performed in cases where degeneration has not yet progressed to all three compartments of the knee. Once an individual pre-operative plan is created, our surgeons guide the robotic-arm to prepare the bone, execute the plan and position the implant.

Our surgeons can resurface the diseased portion of the knee while helping to spare the healthy bone and ligaments surrounding the knee joint. Studies have shown robotic-arm assisted partial knee replacement to be two to three times more accurate than manual partial knee replacement procedures. Use of the Mako System often results in smaller incisions and less pain, leading to quicker recovery and better patient satisfaction.

Robotic Total Knee Replacement

This treatment option is also designed to relieve the pain caused by joint degeneration due to osteoarthritis that affects the entire knee joint in usually mid- to late- stage patients. In this procedure, which is performed at Morristown, Overlook and Chilton medical centers, the entire knee joint is replaced with an implant. After 3D modeling of bone anatomy, our surgeons can use the Mako System to identify the right implant size. They’ll also use it to determine the proper orientation, alignment and extent of the cuts to the bone based on each patient’s unique anatomy. The robotic arm maintains the accuracy of the cuts as the surgeon moves the arm through space checking its progress on the computer video monitor.

Robotic Total Hip Replacement

This surgical procedure is intended for patients who suffer from noninflammatory or inflammatory degenerative joint disease. This includes osteoarthritis, post-traumatic arthritis, rheumatoid arthritis, avascular necrosis and hip dysplasia.

After using 3D CT-based planning software to create your surgical plan, our orthopedic surgeon guides the robotic-arm to prepare the hip socket and position the implant in accordance with that plan. Using the Mako System, our experienced surgeons at Morristown, Overlook and Chilton medical centers can often perform total hip replacements with smaller incisions than traditional hip replacements.