BY: DR. I. MICHAEL VELLA
As you may know, robotic surgery has been around for a few years now. It initially began in the surgical specialties gynecology and general surgery. Orthopedics has now joined the robotics field for certain types of joint replacement and many other procedures are currently in development. The orthopedic specialty has followed a natural technological progression from total joint procedures guided only by the eye, followed by guide systems using precision cutting blocks, to computer navigated joint replacement, and finally to robotics. The goal for using assistive technology during joint replacement is to the precision of placement of the components involved in the procedure. To date the technology is available to facilitate implant placement during knee and hip replacement procedures. The evolutionary thrust of all of the systems is to more precisely cut the skeletal tissue, in this case bone, and place the new metal and plastic components in the proper position which is unique to each patient. The science behind precise implant placement is that the surgical placement of the implants should mimic the patient's own anatomy, which will improve the longevity of the new artificial joint.
Robotic technology in orthopedics involves handheld modules which can be articulated or non- articulated. A high-speed rotating burr is used to make cuts and to precisely determine how deep to cut or how much bone to remove. We can manipulate the information obtained either by the robot directly, or from previously obtained MRIs or CAT scans, to reproduce and mimic the specific patient's anatomy.
In hospitals currently, and in surgery centers in the future, we are performing robotic and the more traditional total hip and knee operations, as well as partial knee replacements.
The surgeon remains the most critical element during joint replacement surgery, however, the decision to enhance his abilities with robotic technology is based upon many factors. The majority of these relate specifically to the individual’s candidacy. It should be understood that the robot does not replace the surgeon, the robot cannot independently perform the surgery, nor does every joint replacement require a robot or other navigational technology.
As procedures and technology continue to develop and refine, more and more joint replacement procedures (total or partial) will be possible in an outpatient setting with patients being discharged to home the same day or early the following morning. At SOS, we are committed to bringing our patients and the Central New York community the latest technology and expertise in the field of joint replacement as well as other orthopedic subspecialties.
For more information about the SOS Robotic Surgery Team visit: SOSRoboticSurgery.com