South Africa’s Linksfield hospital has conducted the first successful robotic-arm knee replacement surgery in Africa using the Mako robotic-arm assisted surgery system.
Dr. Chris McCready, an orthopedic surgeon who performed the operation said that operations like the total knee replacements are quite common in developed parts of the world like the US, UK, and Europe.
Last year, it was used for over 250 000 procedures internationally, and can also be used for hip and partial knee replacements.
He said, “There is no national register for local total knee replacements currently, but with an estimated 8 000 to 10 000 total knee replacements taking place in South Africa each year, this technology could signal a new era in personalized joint replacement.”
It is well established that robotic surgical systems have been proven to solve technical challenges in comparison to conventional means with fewer chances of complications.
A key advantage of the robotic surgical system for this particular scenario was it drew data from a computed tomography (CT) scan of the patient’s knee prior to surgery.
McCready said, “This technology determines the dimensions for the surgical cuts to the bone surfaces so that the best sized implanted joint components can be selected for each patient, and the placement and alignment of the implanted components can be planned in advance.”
The surgeon also confirmed that the robotic arm system comes in handy during the procedure as it provides a “detailed visual, auditory and tactile feedback to the surgeon” which in turn helps when positioning and aligning the knee implants.
While stating the benefits of the robotic arm system, he said, “Benefits for patients that have been noted in outcomes recorded internationally for this advanced surgical option include the achievement of a better balanced and more natural-feeling implanted knee, less post-operative pain and quicker recovery time.”
Most importantly, the robotic arm system is under the direction of the surgeon for the entire time of the procedure and more importantly, it helps ensure safety to the patient since only specific areas identified prior to the surgery are operated, ensuring there are no damages done to other knee parts.
According to the managing director of Netcare’s hospital division, Jacques du Plessis, the development had the potential to significantly enhance patient outcomes.
“In appropriate cases, [it] provides greater choice in terms of the surgical options available for individuals requiring total knee replacements,” said Du Plessis.
