MAKO’s Robot Now Does Hip Surgery (written by Walter Eisner @ OTW)
After receiving FDA clearance in February 2010, MAKO Surgical Corp.’s RIO Robotic Arm Interactive Orthopedic System is now commercially available for use in total hip replacement surgeries.
MAKO has had a robotic system for partial knee resurfacing procedures for five years and now offers surgeons and patients the same technology for hip surgery.
The system is called MAKOplasty Total Hip Arthroplasty.
The surgeon’s ability to accurately align and position implants is well known as a potential source of complications associated with conventional hip replacement surgery. According to a September 19 statement from MAKO, a recently published Massachusetts General Hospital study reported that, over a sustained period of study of 1,823 hips, only 50% of acetabular cups were positioned in the acceptable range.
Lawrence Dorr, M.D., founder and medical director of The Dorr Arthritis Institute in Los Angeles, said the system, “provides a significant advantage to me as a surgeon and to my patients. It provides quantitative knowledge for what were difficult judgment decisions inherent in manually performed operations. When I finish a hip replacement I no longer am anxious to see the X-ray because I know I’ve got the implants, leg length and offset correct. It makes recovery easier for patients, including their comfort, activities and protection from dislocation. This robotic guided operation is better for both me and my patients.”
Maurice Ferré, M.D., president and chief executive officer of MAKO, told OTW, “The quantification of cup placement and leg length with offset is what surgeons are most excited about. This technology can result in benefits to surgeons and patients.”
Surgeons are provided with a pre-operative 3-D reconstruction of the patient’s hip which is used to develop the patient-specific surgical plan. The robotic-arm then assists the surgeon during the procedure to accurately prepare the joint and optimally place the hip implants.