Do you know anyone that has undergone a total knee replacement and is disappointed with the results? Are you, on the other hand, someone who suffers from daily knee pain from severe osteoarthritis and is concerned about major surgery? Around 15% of people who underdone total knee replacement surgery are dissatisfied with the outcomes for a number of possible reasons, including prolonged discomfort, stiffness, instability, and a feeling of the knee not moving naturally. One possible solution is the use of innovative technology like robotic-assisted knee replacement.
In the past, total knee replacement was associated with a prolonged hospital stay and a slow, painful recovery. Today, thanks to the evolving technology and surgical techniques including advanced pain management, knee replacements have become one of the most successful surgeries in orthopedic surgery in terms of restoration of quality of life and rapid recovery. Dr. Daniel Chan, Chief of Orthopedic Surgery and Sports Medicine and Medical Director for Orthopedic Trauma at Memorial Healthcare System Hospital in South Florida, introduces a new robotic technology for improved precision in knee replacement that is customized to each patient.
Osteoarthritis is one of the ten most disabling diseases in developed countries. Worldwide, estimates show that 10% of men and 18% of women aged over 60 have symptomatic osteoarthritis, including moderate and severe forms (According to WHO, 2014). The VELYS™ Robotic-Assisted Solution is a new technology utilized by Dr. Chan at Memorial which helps surgeons perform knee replacement surgery tailored to each patient’s unique anatomy to increase mobility, decrease pain, and minimize recovery time. This allows patients to return confidently to their normal, active lifestyle sooner and may improve long-term longevity of the knee.
What types of conditions can be treated with this technology? VELYS™ Robotic-Assisted Solution can be a definitive treatment for conditions such as advanced osteoarthritis, where the layer of damaged bone and cartilage tissue around the knee is precisely removed and replaced with patient-matched implants. One of its most significant advantages compared to traditional knee replacement is the ability to make real-time decisions prior to making any cuts during surgery, because this technology collects information about the patient's bony anatomy and soft tissue tension in advance before committing to any bony cuts.
How does this technology work? As Dr. Chan explains “this new robotic technology allows us to offer greater precision in terms of implant placement and soft tissue balancing for our patients, all in the hopes of improving patient outcomes… the robotic arm facilitates the multiple cuts necessary for knee replacement based on patient-specific anatomical landmarks and soft tissue tension while providing real-time intra-operative data that guides decision-making. Unlike other systems, the VELYS™ platform is completely image-less and does not require patients to go through the expense and radiation exposure of a pre-operative CT scan”.
Memorial Healthcare System is the first facility in South Florida to utilize the VELYS™ robotic-assisted technology for knee replacement and patient outcomes have been exceptional.
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