Mako Robotic-Arm Assisted Surgery for Partial Knee Resurfacing
RWJBarnabas Health offers Mako Robotic-Arm Assisted Surgery for Partial Knee Resurfacing - an innovative treatment option designed to relieve the pain caused by joint degeneration due to osteoarthritis.
By selectively targeting the part of the knee damaged by osteoarthritis, our surgeon can resurface your knee while sparing the healthy bone and ligaments surrounding it.
Mako allows for consistently reproducible precision in performing partial knee resurfacing. During the procedure, the diseased portion of the knee is resurfaced, sparing the patient’s healthy bone and surrounding tissue.
An implant is then secured in the joint to allow the knee to move smoothly again.
Who Would be a Good Candidate?
Typically, Patients Share the Following Characteristics:
- Knee pain with activity, usually on the inner knee and/or under the knee cap
- Start up knee pain or stiffness when activities are initiated from a sitting position
- Failure to respond to non-surgical treatments or nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory medication
Benefits of the Procedure:
- Improved surgical outcomes
- Less implant wear and loosening
- Joint resurfacing
- Bone sparing
- Smaller incision
- Less scarring
- Reduced blood loss
- Minimal hospitalization
- Rapid recovery
Unlike other more invasive procedures, robotic-arm assisted surgery can often be performed through a four to six inch incision over your knee with small incisions in both your femur (thigh bone) and tibia (shin).
Additionally the preservation of your own natural bone and tissue along with more ideal patient specific implant positioning may also result in a more natural feeling knee. Since healthy bone is preserved, patients who undergo partial knee procedures with Mako Technology may still be a candidate for a total knee replacement procedure later in life if necessary.
As a knee arthroplasty procedure, it is typically covered by Medicare. In some cases it may be performed on an outpatient basis depending on what your Mako-certified surgeon determines is the right course of treatment for you. In many cases, patients are permitted to walk soon after surgery, drive a car in the first few weeks and return to normal daily activities shortly thereafter.