Sometimes a shoulder or knee joint needs surgical support to keep working smoothly and without pain. Following wear-and-tear, accidents, or sports injuries, you may opt for a joint replacement surgery such as a shoulder replacement or knee replacement.
These procedures replace damaged parts of your joint with artificial components so the joint works well after postsurgical recovery.
Joint replacement is a significant operation, and you want state-of-the-art technological support as well as an experienced orthopedic surgeon.
At the Center for Orthopaedics and Sports Medicine, Dr. Michael Blackwell uses Mako® robotic-arm assisted surgical techniques to perfect your surgery and improve your outcomes. Dr. Blackwell treats patients at two locations in Tomball and one each in Kingwood, and Conroe, Texas.
Mako robotic-arm assisted surgery makes a difference at several key points in your procedure. The benefits show up as early as the planning stages.
Imaging via a 3D computed tomography (CT) scan creates highly accurate depictions of the joint, so your team at the Center for Orthopaedics and Sports Medicine knows exactly where to position your implants, and how much bone material needs to be removed, based on your own unique anatomy.
We program your presurgical plan into the Mako software, and we study the surgery plan before performing your procedure, giving us extra preparation in treating your anatomical structure.
The system limits incisions to the programmed plan, allowing a high degree of precision and accuracy. The surgeon remains in control of the robotic arm throughout the surgery.
During your procedure, the robotic arm provides real-time feedback to your surgeon. In joint replacement surgery, it’s essential that all of the components of the new joint work together smoothly and connect correctly.
Robotic arm feedback lets your surgeon check to ensure that the artificial elements of your new joint fit just right before completing your surgery.
Robotic surgery benefits you by limiting the extent of your procedure to a degree not possible without technological intervention. The Mako robotic arm allows your surgical team to keep incisions small and few, minimizing tissue and bone damage. That means less bleeding, less scarring, and often, shorter recovery times.
After a replacement procedure with the support of a Mako robotic arm, you can rest assured that your new joint has the maximum possible range of motion and stability, while still preserving as much of your healthy bone and tissue as possible.
You’re less likely to require revision procedures after robotic-arm assisted surgery, as well.
Some individuals even report that going through joint replacement surgery with the benefit of the Mako robotic arm system resulted in less pain and faster return to normal life activities than those who lacked access to this technological support.
To learn more about robotic-assisted joint replacement surgery, and to discover if you could be a good candidate for this type of procedure, contact the Center for Orthopaedics and Sports Medicine today. Schedule your initial consultation online or over the phone now.
