Partial Knee Replacement
What is Partial knee replacement?
Partial knee replacement involves resurfacing only part of the knee rather than all of it (total knee replacement) . The knee has three compartments, medial, lateral and patellofemoral. Nearly 50% of people needing replacement surgery may be suitable for partial rather than total replacement.
What is Robotic Partial Knee Replacement?
Robotic partial knee replacement surgery is a minimally invasive procedure that uses computer technology and robotic arms to help orthopaedic surgeons perform knee surgery with precision and accuracy. The procedure involves removing the damaged part of the knee joint and replacing it with an implant. The robotic arm assists the surgeon in accurately placing the implant and making precise bone cuts.
Benefits of Robotic Partial Knee Replacement
There are several benefits to choosing robotic partial knee replacement surgery over traditional knee replacement surgery. Some of these benefits include:
- Increased precision and accuracy: Computer technology and robotic arms ensure the surgery is performed with great precision and accuracy. This reduces human error risk and ensures the implant is placed correctly.
- The knee can be better balanced: The knee is a complex joint that allows flexion, extension and rotation. The three compartments of the knee all work in different ways (medial, lateral and patellofemoral compartments). The robot helps the surgeon to preserve and balance the soft tissues around the knee replacement with more precision than before
- Less risk for error and revision: The robotic knees are showing a reduced rate of revision on the Australian joint registry. The better precision is likely reducing the outliers in outcomes.
Types of Robotic Partial Knee Replacement
There are two types of robotic partial knee replacement surgery: unicompartmental knee replacement and bicompartmental knee replacement. The unicompartmental knee replacement involves replacing only one compartment of the knee joint, while the bicompartmental knee replacement involves replacing two compartments of the knee joint.
Robotic Partial Knee Replacement Surgery
The procedure begins with the patient being given general anaesthesia, which puts them to sleep. Once the patient is asleep, the surgeon will make a small incision in the knee to access the damaged part of the joint.
Next, the surgeon will use a special tool to create a 3D map of the patient's knee joint. This map will be used to guide the robotic arm during the procedure.
The surgeon will then use the robotic arm to precisely cut away the damaged part of the knee joint and prepare the bone for the implant. The robotic arm uses a high-resolution camera and sensors to provide real-time feedback to the surgeon, allowing them to make precise cuts and adjustments.
Once the damaged part of the joint has been removed, the surgeon will attach the artificial implant to the remaining bone. The implant is designed to fit perfectly in the patient's knee and may be made of metal, plastic, or ceramic.
Finally, the surgeon will close the incision, and the patient will be monitored as they recover from the procedure.
