The Wellington Hospital – the major London independent/private sector hospital owned and operated by HCA Healthcare, has launched its new Mako Robotic Arm for full and partial knee and hip replacement surgery.
The system, designed to assist surgeons to perform complex hip and knee surgeries, can result in patients suffering less pain while it can also lead to quicker recovery, better motion and function, and fewer revisions than standard hip and knee replacement surgeries, HCA said.
The Mako SmartRobotics system combines three key components – 3D CT-based planning, haptic technology and data analytics – to provide patients with a minimally-invasive surgical option for their full or partial knee or hip replacement.
Jonathan Miles, consultant orthopaedic surgeon at The Wellington Hospital, said that using the “high-level measurement and pre-operative planning” offered by the Mako, he and colleagues will be able to find and fit the optimum joint dimensions, angles and ligament tension for each patient’s implant.
He said: “This level of precision means we can minimise post-operative pain and bleeding, shorten recovery times and even extend the life-cycle of the joint with a decreased need for revision surgeries.”
The launch of the new service follows news that HCA has launched a robotic gynaecology service at its London Bridge Hospital.
It is hoped that the new service there will provide improved accuracy, lower infection rates and shorter stay lengths for patients who require surgery.