What Is The Makoplasty Robot
The robot is essentially a small machining or cutting tool that has several three-dimensional markers on it. These markers are watched by a computer video system in the operating room. This allows the computer to understand exactly where the cutting tool is in space down to less than 0.5mm of accuracy. While the computer can track the tools, it can also track the bones around your knee with similar markers placed during surgery. By knowing where the knee surfaces are along with the robot tools, we can precisely understand what is going to happen in the surgery on a computer screen. Think of it, for the mechanical people out there, as a machining tool, or CNC machine, the surgeon can control.
Do Your Knees Suddenly Flare Up In Discomfort After Any Kind Of Physical Activity When You Stand Up From A Seated Position Do You Notice Pain Or Stiffness In Your Knees Do You Take Anti
If you nodded your head yes, it may be time to introduce your knees to a state-of-the-art robot called Mako.
MAKOplasty on the knee is a surgical procedure and a robotic-assisted alternative to total knee replacement. As with anterior hip replacements, Dr. Craig Mines is one of the few orthopedic surgeons in Georgia offering this innovative and successful surgical approach.
Treat your knees like you would any other part of your body when you know its calling for help. Talk to us about MAKOplasty knee replacement and well get you moving and shaking again like the good ol days.
Generally for those with severe cases of osteoarthritis, even those with limited joint damage can now be successfully treated with MAKOplasty total knee replacement or a partial knee replacement.
MAKOplasty knee procedures are typically recommended for adults living with early to mid-stage osteoarthritis in the knee. One of the main benefits of partial knee resurfacing is the ability to target the damaged area of the knee without compromising the healthy bone and tissue.
Tracking Arrays & Registration
During the procedure, Dr. Buechel places temporary infrared tracking devices called Arrays, on the femur and tibia. These allow the computer to see the bones moving in the operating room precisely, know the exact position of the robot with its cutting tool, and match the precise location of the bone of the patient to the 3D CT scan plan in the computer. This process is called Registration.
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What Is Robotic Surgery
Robotic surgery, in general, is a type of surgical procedure that allows surgeons to perform complex surgical procedures while circumventing limitations of traditional and minimally-invasive surgery. Robotics enhance the surgeons skills with advanced control, flexibility and precision. Robotic surgery or robotic-arm -assisted surgery for MAKOplasty, allows Dr. Martin to perform a total hip replacement, total knee replacement, and partial knee replacement with these benefits.
If This Sounds Like You Consider A Surgeon Who Works With Mako Technology
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Important information
Knee Replacements
Total knee replacement is intended for use in individuals with joint disease resulting from degenerative, rheumatoid and posttraumatic arthritis, and for moderate deformity of the knee.
Knee replacement surgery is not appropriate for patients with certain types of infections, any mental or neuromuscular disorder which would create an unacceptable risk of prosthesis instability, prosthesis fixation failure or complications in postoperative care, compromised bone stock, skeletal immaturity, or severe instability of the knee.
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Key Benefits Of Makoplasty:
Thanks to the precision of the robotic-arm technology in MAKOplasty, Dr. Mines can isolate the arthritic part of the knee without having to replace the entire knee joint.
- Optimal implant positioning for a natural-feeling knee post-surgery.
- A procedure resulting in a much shorter hospital stay and faster knee recovery times compared to traditional knee replacement surgery.
- Rapid relief from knee pain and a swift recovery.
After Resurfacing An Implant Is Used
Rather than replace the entire joint, an implant is often used after the resurfacing is completed so that the knee can move fluidly once again. This reduces the chances of typical knee replacement surgical complications, such as bone spurs, blood loss, and extensive scarring. Thats why the MAKOplasty knee recovery time can be up to 50% faster than traditional knee replacement surgeries.
Is the MAKOplasty right for you? Only your orthopedic surgeon can determine that. If you are having problems sleeping, getting around, and enjoying your life because of your knee pain, then its time to start the process of having your knee evaluated by scheduling an appointment with your doctor today.
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What Is Robotic Assisted Surgery
Robotic-Arm Assisted Technology is used for partial knee and total replacements.
Using a pre-op CT a specific 3-D model of your knee anatomy is constructed. This 3D model is virtually templated to determine the specific position of the implants to correct leg alignment and to balance the ligaments of the knee. This plan is then uploaded to the “robot”: The robot technology enables the surgeon to perform a fully personalised surgical plan with fine control.
Bone Spur Removal In Preparation For Data Collection
Once the communication has been established by matching the patient to the CT data through the Registration process, any overgrown bone spurs can be removed. This is part of the preparation to properly re-tension the knee ligaments, individually re-align the knee, and then collect data to allow for optimal implant planning & positioning.
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A Makoplasty Doesnt Work For Everyone
Though there are many advantages to the MAKOplasty knee recovery time that make it the preferred knee improvement surgery for many people, it is only specifically indicated for certain types of knee disease. Orthopedic surgeons that perform the MAKOplasty procedure are trained to recognize more extensive forms of knee disease that the MAKOplasty doesnt treat and if discovered during the procedure, will cause the procedure to stop.
How does this happen? Not all forms of knee disease or damage can be picked up by modern diagnostic tools, such as x-rays and MRIs. This damage can only be seen during the orthopedic procedure. If your doctor notices this damage, the MAKOplasty procedure will be stopped, you will be sent to recovery from the initial start of the procedure, and a new treatment protocol will be developed.
Who Is A Candidate For A Mako Procedure
Any patient who is a candidate for a traditional hip or knee joint replacement procedure is a candidate for a robotic arm assisted procedure.
Typically, robotic joint replacement patients share the following characteristics:
- Knee or hip pain with activity
- Start-up pain or stiffness when activities are initiated from a sitting position
- Failure to respond to non-surgical treatments including injections, physical therapy, activity modification and nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory medication
Patients suffering from diseases including osteoarthritis, rheumatoid arthritis, avascular necrosis, and traumatic arthritis can find their way back to activities and a better lifestyle with robotic replacement surgery.
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What Happens During Makoplastytreatment
You will lie down on a table for the surgery. Your surgeon will make a 2-3 inch incision in your knee before removing the diseased or damaged portion of your knee. The healthy bone and tissue surrounding the diseased and damaged area will remain untouched. A prosthesis made of plastic and metal will then be secured in your knee joint before the incision is cleaned, stitched and bandaged.
Stages Of Makoplasty Partial Knee Implant Surgery
The surgery has 2 stages:
Your Personalized Plan
A CT scan of your knee is used to generate a 3D virtual model of your knee. This provides us with the information we need to properly determine the damaged areas that need to be removed for the precise placement of your knee implant.
This virtual model is uploaded into the MAKOplasty® system Robot software and is used to create your personalized pre-operative plan.
Your Precision Surgery
In theatre your surgeon will use the Mako Robot to assist in performing your surgery which is based on your personalized pre-operative plan.
The MAKOplasty® system also allows your surgeon to make adjustments to your plan during surgery as needed to optimise the placement of the implants and to balance your ligaments.
The actual surgery will last approximately one hour and the average hospital stay is 1-3 days.
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Who Are Good Candidates For The Makoplasty Procedure
Although the best treatment for each patient must be determined individually, typical MAKOplasty® patients share the following characteristics:
- Pain while standing or walking short distances
- Knee swelling
- Night pain
- Failure to respond to nonsurgical treatment such as rest, weight loss, physical therapy and non-steroidal anti-inflammatory medication
The Benefits Of Dr Buechels Mako Robotic Partial Knee Replacement
The benefits of using the Mako Robotic-Arm System when performing partial knee replacement over conventional manual tool systems has now been well documented in the peer review literature, of which Dr. Buechel has contributed greatly from his clinical experiences. As a world leading surgeon expert and an educator of surgeons with this technology, Dr. Buechel has seen first-hand, all of the benefits patients have enjoyed over a decade of involvement with Mako Robotics. If your knee is painful, and you are considering joint replacement surgery, you should contact Dr. Buechel through the office, or our initial Complimentary Online Consultation, to see if you can benefit, also.
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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 788-8797 or request an appointment online, 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.
Makoplasty Total Knee Replacement
We understand that making sure you know what to expect from your joint replacement experience is important to you. As you are reading through this material, if you have additional questions please reach out to us to discuss.
Each patient is unique, and can experience joint pain for different reasons. Its important to talk to us about the reason for your knee pain so you can understand the treatment options available to you. Pain from arthritis and joint degeneration can be constant or come and go, occur with movement or after a period of rest, or be located in one spot or many parts of the body. It is common for patients to try medication and other conservative treatments to treat their knee pain. If you havent experienced adequate relief with those treatment options, you may be a candidate for Mako Total Knee replacement, which may provide you with relief from your knee pain.
How Mako Technology works
Mako Robotic-Arm Assisted Total Knee replacement is a treatment option for adults living with mid to late-stage osteoarthritis of the knee. Mako provides you with a personalized surgical plan based on your unique anatomy. First, a CT scan of the diseased knee joint is taken. This CT scan is uploaded into the Mako System software, where a 3D model of your knee is created. This 3D model is used to pre-plan and assist your surgeon in performing your total knee replacement.
IMPORTANT INFORMATION
References
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Q: How Can You Determine If I Am A Candidate For The Makoplasty Procedure
A: The first step is to get your complete medical history including your symptoms, when they began, how they have progressed and any non-surgical treatment you have tried. Your physician will then perform a thorough examination of your knee joint. He/she will observe your knee while you are standing and walking, examine your knee, hips and ankle alignment, and evaluate your range of motion, ligament stability and angular deformity. If surgery might be the best option for you, a weight-bearing X-ray will be obtained to determine the extent of damage in your knee.
What Are The Advantages Of Mako Total Knee
- Superior implant design when compared to traditional knee implants that promotes natural circular motion requiring less muscular effort to flex the knee
- Precise pre-operative planning using virtual 3D model
- Accurate implant positioning using advanced robotic technology
- Quick recovery with faster return to activities of daily living
- Potentially longer lasting implant
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How Does Mako Technology Work
Mako Robotic-Arm Assisted Technology provides you with a personalized surgical plan based on your unique anatomy. First, a CT scan of the diseased hip or knee joint is taken. The CT scan is uploaded into the Mako System software, where a 3D model of your hip or knee is created. This 3D model is used to pre-plan and assist your surgeon in performing your hip replacement or knee replacement surgery.
In the operating room, your orthopedic surgeon follows your personalized surgical plan while preparing the bone for the implant. The orthopedic surgeon guides the robotic arm within the pre-defined area and the Mako System helps the surgeon stay within the planned boundaries that were defined when the personalized pre-operative plan was created.
In a laboratory study, Mako Total Knee Technology demonstrated accurate placement of implants to a personalized surgical plan. This study also showed Mako total knee replacement demonstrated soft tissue protection to the ligaments around the knee. Inpatient and laboratory studies on Mako total hip replacement and partial knee replacement, Mako Technology demonstrated accurate placement of implants to a personalized surgical plan.
Patient & Robotic Operating Room Setup
Once the operating room is ready, the patient is brought into the operating room and properly positioned on a comfortable and well-padded operating table. Once the anesthesiologist has completed their preparation of the patient with either a regional or general anesthesia, the patient is sterilely prepared, padded and draped.
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How Is It Done
During a standard CT scan, a 3D model of the patients knee is created. This model is then used to plan the surgery and determine the perfect size for the implant , 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.
Q: If I Have These Symptoms Could Osteoarthritis Be To Blame
A: Yes. Osteoarthritis is the most common type of arthritis. It is a degenerative bone disease that causes the cartilagefound on healthy joints to break down removing the buffer between bones. This often causes pain during normal daily activities and can eventually cause loss of motion and malalignment of the knees.
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Value & Safety Provided By The Pre
The preoperative CT scans often reveal important information pre-operatively. Large bone spurs, often not seen with imageless systems, are important to know about preoperatively, as they influence implant positioning decisions during surgery, effecting proper joint tension. On the more advanced arthritis cases with lots of large bone spurs, the scans help tremendously in planning & ensuring their removal. The Pre-operative CT is also critical for implant planning in cases of osteonecrosis. In these cases, bone loss or bone death areas are properly assessed so Dr. Buechel can optimize the implant position to cover the bad areas and provide proper implant support. The CT scans sometimes reveal large bone cysts that may influence a surgeons decision to perform the procedure, or how to plan the procedure to ensure implant stability.
A concern patients have with CT scans is related to the radiation dosage and its potential detrimental effects. I have been concerned as well, so our radiologists have shared with us that the special protocol for knee scans delivers a mean effective dose of only ~0.4mSv, which is equivalent to 1.5 months of natural environmental radiation, or 3 x-rays. Therefore, I strongly feel the benefit outweighs the minimal risk.
Wound Closure & Healing Optimization
Dr. Buechel is focused on optimizing wound healing for all of his surgical patients. Therefore, he has recommendations on the entire process from before surgery, to after surgery to enhance wound healing and recovery.
Patients should optimize their preoperative nutrition and exercise, while eliminating or minimizing any risk factors for poor wound healing such as smoking, excessive alcohol intake, poor blood sugar control or excessive Body Mass Index which all can lead to greater complications after surgery. Immuno-nutrition products such as Ricochet drinks help optimize each patients nutritional status for elective surgery. Proper protein and nutritional intake before and after surgery has been shown to improve wound healing and reduce the risk of infection.
During the procedure, Dr. Buechel meticulously cares for the health of the skin and deep tissues throughout the procedure while exposing, retracting, and closing the knee joint, to optimize healing, minimize blood loss, and reduce the incidence of wound healing problems.
A cosmetically appealing scar is common after Dr. Buechels procedures because of the variety of techniques he employs during the surgery, and the carefully chosen products he uses for the closure and aftercare. The highest quality suture is used to hold the tissues longer and stronger, while providing anti-bacterial protection. Stratafix Plus barbed antimicrobial suture is our preferred suture.
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