Partial knee replacement is an option for some patients who have limited knee damage. But the surgery is technically difficult, and the outcome can be affected if too much bone is removed. Now, a new robotic arm is making the surgery more precise.

Dolores Tames listened to her body, especially her knees.
 
"I was feeling totally uncomfortable and I actually heard creaking in my knees as I was walking."

Her creaky knee was fixed with a partial knee implant. But the surgery is tricky, since only limited bone should be removed. 

"So you have to modify your operation so that you take away the pathology, but do so in a way that allows the bones to conform to a new prosthesis," says Dr. Andrew Pearle, an orthopedic surgeon at the Hospital for Special Surgery in New York, NY

Now a new robot assistant improves the accuracy of partial knee surgery using 3D planning and surgical guidance. 
 
"So you get incredible confidence once you've made your plan, that you can take that plan and execute it, and that's where the robot really comes into play." 

A virtual 3D model outlines the surgical area, and is linked to the patient's knee using sophisticated positioning devices. 
 
"And as you burr out bone on your 3D model, the robot is actually burring out bone in the patient."

The robotic arm moves as guided, but it will shut down if the burr strays a hair outside the plan. 
 
"It essentially is a fancy way to prevent you from drawing outside the lines, if you will." 

This robot-guided surgery, called makoplasty,  is currently available at a limited number of sites in the U.S. 
 
AUDIENCE INQUIRY:
For information on MAKOplasty® or the MAKO Tactile Guidance System™, log onto the company's website at http://www.makosurgicalcorp.com

For information on knee replacement:
American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons, http://orthoinfo.aaos.org
The Knee Society, http://www.kneesociety.org

For information on knee arthritis:
Arthritis Foundation, http://www.arthritis.org
National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases, http://www.niams.nih.gov
 

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