West Boca Medical Center is the first hospital from Jupiter to Fort Lauderdale to offer partial knee and total hip replacement using a surgical approach called Makoplasty. The surgery involves a surgeon-controlled robotic arm, aimed at enhancing the procedure’s accuracy. Patients also benefit with shorter hospital stays and faster recovery times.
The robotic arm is equipped with surgical instruments and a virtual visualization system. This system creates a 3D view of the patient’s bone surface during a procedure and correlates that image to a pre-programmed surgical plan.
I asked orthopedic surgeon Dr. Marc Golden to tell Fit Life readers more about Makoplasty. Golden, who practices in Boca Raton and Delray Beach, is one of the few doctors in South Florida trained in the procedure. Here, he talks about Makoplasty for the knee–an option for many people with early to mid-stage knee osteoarthritis.
Boca Mag: Describe the Makoplasty procedure.
Marc Golden: The Makoplasty procedure for knee arthritis utilizes robotic arm technology to precisely resurface only the diseased area of the knee. This new technology allows for a level of accuracy and reproducibility that is unobtainable with conventional joint replacement procedures. The major advantage is a result of a less invasive procedure, with only the resurfacing of the arthritic portion of the knee. [The approach preserves] cartilage, bone and ligaments. This results in a rapid recovery and a more natural feeling knee. There is significant improvement with physical function, increased range of motion, decreased pain, stiffness and rehabilitation. Most patients are ambulating without assistance by two weeks.
… this new technology integrates the accuracy of the robot with intelligent surgical instruments, allowing [us] to treat each patient uniquely and with precision. The final result is an excellent outcome and a thrilled patient, who now can regain their life and level of activity that they desire.
BM: Are all patients with arthritis candidates for this procedure?
MG: Patients who have degenerative arthritis that is primarily localized to one region of the knee are excellent candidates for the Makoplasty procedure. If the arthritic condition is diffuse and throughout the entire knee, then conventional total joint replacement surgery is the best option. The percentage of patients with knee arthritis that can benefit from this new technology is greater than fifty percent.
BM: How were you trained in this procedure?
MG: I have been practicing orthopaedic surgery in Boca Raton and Delray Beach for 24 years, after completing my residency and fellowship training in knee reconstruction. I have performed conventional total joint replacement surgery throughout my career. To gain appropriate skills for robotic technology, I performed simulated surgery on cadaver specimens, attended educational courses and operated with surgeons previously trained in the procedure.
BM: What results are you finding with your patients?
MG: The results with the Makoplasty procedure are quite dramatic. Patients are routinely in the hospital for a one or two night stay, compared to three nights [after the traditional approach]. There is a significant decrease in pain medication required, as well as a rapid return to ambulation, progressing to normal function and return to sport activities.
BM: Does this procedure take the place of total joint replacement or do patients require additional surgery in the future?
MG: The robotic arm-assisted technology creates a precise placement of the resurfaced components in only the diseased portion of the joint, resulting in a knee that feels and functions naturally. If the components are not perfectly aligned, then they tend to wear out faster resulting in the need for a second surgery.
For more on Makoplasty, go online to West Boca Medical Center or call 866/904-9262.
