Would you let a Robot handle your Knee?

Many people from the aged population are diagnosed with terminal stage knee arthritis each year. As terrible as it may sound, it leaves patients restricted to their beds as they are no longer able to walk properly.

Knee replacement surgery leases a new life to such patients. However, this procedure has its own advantages and disadvantages.

Sometimes the surgeons do not choose knee replacement using conventional open surgery as an ideal approach to treat elderly patients. This is because of several reasons. Their health may not be suitable to tolerate the surgery or they may not be expected to recover properly.

In such a scenario, robotic knee replacement surgery seems a viable option in the long run. Check out some of the Advantages of a Robotic Surgery on knee replacement on the infographic.

Why robotic knee replacement?

Advances in medical technology now allow surgeons to conduct surgery with the help of robotic tools and equipment. There are several advantages that robot-assisted surgery has over conventional open surgery.

Some of the benefits associated with robotic surgery include the following:

• Quick healing and recovery
• Minimal pain
• Minimal invasion
• Small incision
• Preservation of natural bone structure

Given these points, robot-assisted knee replacement is a boon for the elderly patients as this procedure is well-tolerated in them. However, it is equally beneficial for younger patients as well since they are able to return to their normal routine quickly.

Case study

Back in July, a team of surgeons at the Lokmanya Hospital in Pune performed robotic knee replacement surgery on a 66-year-old patient. The terminal stage arthritis patient was not able to walk since the last few months.

The doctors made use of Blue Belt Technologies’ Navio Robotic System to conduct the surgery. Not to mention, the patient was able to start walking again within two days of the surgery.

Video Credit: ABC News