MAKO Robot arrives
$1.7million MAKO Robot to assist with hip and knee replacements.
Surgeons at Gosford Private Hospital will soon be using cutting edge robotic technology to assist with knee and hip replacement surgery. The $1.7 million MAKO Robot is the first of its kind on the Central Coast, and will enable Gosford Private Hospital to provide better outcomes for its patients undergoing both partial and total knee and hip replacement surgery, when it is introduced at the hospital later this month.
“We are very excited to be able to bring this technology to the Central Coast and our orthopaedic surgeons. This robotic technology is the newest innovation in the orthopaedic arena and patients can now access this locally,” said Healthe Care Regional Manager and Gosford Private Hospital CEO, Matt Kelly.
With over 700 joint replacements currently being undertaken at Gosford Private each year, the MAKO Robot will enable surgeons to achieve a level of precision and accuracy that has previously been unattainable.
Central Coast Orthopaedic Surgeons Dr John Limbers and Dr Sarah Hanslow have already been accredited to use the MAKO Robot and are looking forward to providing the technology on the Central Coast. “The technique is cutting edge technology and is highly accurate. It represents a new way to make highly effective surgery even better,” said Dr Limbers.
Osteoarthritis and hip and knee replacement surgery
With an aging population both on the Central Coast and across Australia, Osteoarthritis has been identified as the main contributor to hip and knee deterioration. According to the 2016 Australian Orthopaedic Association National Joint Replacement Registry, close to 58,000 knee replacements and 45,000 hip replacements were undertaken across Australia in 2015.
Surgery with the MAKO Robot
MAKO robotic technology uses CT Scans to analyse each patient’s unique joint structure and plan their joint replacement prior to surgery. The Orthopaedic Surgeon then uses the MAKO Robotic arm during the surgery to perfectly match the detailed pre-operative plan. This allows the surgeon to customise the alignment and positioning of the replacement joint to ensure it is at an angle that optimises outcomes and matches the unique anatomy of each patient.
Studies have been presented showing that the use of the MAKO Robot for partial knee replacement surgery has reduced the number of surgical revisions required when compared to traditional, manual replacement surgeries. It is now available for total hip replacement and total knee replacement, where there is the potential for similar results to be observed. Further information about the Stryker MAKO Robot is available at https://goo.gl/Bk4kdK
