The problem of “osteoarthritis is a common health issue among the elderly. A method that helps reduce the suffering from severe knee pain and allows the knee to function normally again is treatment through “knee replacement surgery”.
Currently, knee replacement surgery has advanced significantly, with various innovations supplementing the procedure, enabling doctors to treat osteoarthritis patients more effectively. One of these is robot-assisted knee replacement surgery (Robotic Knee Replacement).
What is robot-assisted knee replacement surgery?
Robot-assisted knee replacement surgery (Robotic Knee Replacement) is a medical technology developed to improve the efficiency of knee replacement surgery. It acts as an assistant to the surgeon during the operation, with the surgeon controlling its use.
Using robot-assisted knee replacement surgery involves a small incision, but the doctor can see the internal organs more clearly. The robot has mechanical arms that can move, bend, and rotate in various directions, making complex surgeries or those in hard-to-reach areas more precise and safer. This results in highly effective treatment, less trauma to the patient, less blood loss, reduced surgical complications, shorter recovery time, and a quicker return to a good quality of life. It also reduces the chance of future undesirable errors, such as loosening or collapse of the joint after surgery, which may require revision surgery.
Moreover, surgical robots can be used in various surgeries to enhance treatment efficiency and patient safety, such as gastrointestinal diseases, liver, bile duct, pancreas diseases, urological diseases, gynecological diseases, respiratory and thoracic diseases, as well as general surgeries like stomach and intestinal surgeries.
Who is suitable for robot-assisted knee replacement surgery?
- Patients with chronic knee pain from osteoarthritis or any abnormalities caused by age-related degeneration, usage, accidents, or rheumatoid arthritis.
- Patients who have previously undergone traditional knee replacement surgery but developed complications causing abnormalities such as bent knees, stiff knees, inability to fully extend or bend, loose knees, dislocated knees, or inability to use the prosthetic knee naturally, such as inability to sit on the floor, kneel, squat, or sit cross-legged.
How to prepare before undergoing robot-assisted surgery?
Preparation for robot-assisted surgery is similar to traditional knee replacement surgery, starting with
- Preparing the patient by conducting health checks, blood tests, urine tests, chest X-rays, and electrocardiograms.
- If the patient is taking blood thinners, these must be stopped, and any medications or underlying diseases should be reported to the doctor before treatment.
- Muscle exercises to strengthen the muscles around the knee.
- X-rays and CT scans from multiple angles are combined to create a 3D model of the patient’s knee, which the doctor uses to plan the surgery accurately and reduce operation time, benefiting the patient.
How does the robot-assisted surgery work?
During surgery, the procedure is similar to regular knee replacement surgery, but the surgeon must be trained in using the surgical robot. The robot assists in creating a 3D image of the knee displayed on a monitor, unlike the previous method that relied on X-ray images for surgical planning. This allows the surgery to be tailored precisely to the patient’s anatomy.
The surgeon can see the position and angles of the knee in real-time with accuracy similar to a GPS tracking system during surgery. If the patient’s leg moves even slightly, the robot system detects and immediately adjusts the position. This allows the surgeon to remove only the damaged joint surface and place the prosthetic knee precisely in the correct alignment and position. It also helps balance the joint gap to stabilize the knee, resulting in smaller incisions and no damage to surrounding tendons and tissues. Patients can bend their knees close to normal and can stand, sit, and walk from the first day after surgery.
Postoperative care after robot-assisted knee replacement surgery
Initially, patients will be cared for according to a rehabilitation plan and receive instructions from the doctor. Generally, patients stay in the hospital for about 1-3 days. The medical team, nurses, and physical therapists will help patients exercise their legs and knees to build strength. During this time, patients should
- Avoid touching the surgical wound.
- Be careful not to get the wound wet.
- Not remove the wound dressing by themselves until permitted by the doctor.
Generally, patients can drive after 2 weeks, resume work or daily activities such as gardening after 3-4 weeks, and play sports like golf within 6-8 weeks. Recovery times vary by individual, with younger patients recovering faster. Patients should consult their doctor before starting any activities.
What is the difference between traditional knee replacement surgery and robot-assisted surgery?
- Traditional knee replacement surgery
Traditional knee replacement surgery involves removing the damaged joint surface and replacing it with synthetic metal components. It relies heavily on the surgeon’s experience, which limits surgical accuracy and may result in misalignment. This can cause patients to be unable to use their knees naturally, affecting activities like sitting on the floor, squatting, kneeling, sitting cross-legged, running, or exercising.
- Robot-assisted knee replacement surgery
Robot-assisted knee replacement surgery offers higher accuracy in prosthesis placement, reducing errors to nearly zero under the supervision of experienced surgeons trained in robotic control. It allows precise bone cutting and joint balancing, reduces surgery time and hospital stay, and enables faster return to normal life.
Advantages of robot-assisted knee replacement surgery
- Increased medical accuracy, reducing human error during surgery.
- Reduced complications during surgery, such as accidental tendon damage.
- Safer, as surgeons have a clear view, minimizing muscle and tendon injury around the knee.
- Smaller incisions and less blood loss, making surgery safer and reducing postoperative pain.
- Faster recovery, with patients able to stand or walk just one day after surgery.
- Improved prosthesis balance and stability tailored to the individual, allowing natural knee use such as sitting on the floor, squatting, kneeling, sitting cross-legged, running, and exercising.
- Faster return to normal life and improved quality of life without chronic knee pain.
- Extended lifespan of the prosthetic knee.
Why choose robot-assisted knee replacement surgery at Phyathai 3 Hospital?
Phyathai 3 Hospital’s Orthopedics Center uses surgical robots to treat osteoarthritis patients. This advanced medical technology allows surgeons to perform precise and safe surgeries, aiming to improve patients’ quality of life and enable a quicker return to normal daily activities and mobility.
Additionally, the Orthopedics Center at Phyathai 3 Hospital provides postoperative rehabilitation care from nutritionists and physical therapists who assist with diet and exercise to enhance treatment effectiveness and speed up recovery without complications.
Robot-assisted knee replacement surgery is a good option that helps doctors plan and perform surgeries more accurately on an individual basis. This leads to more effective surgical outcomes, less pain, less blood loss compared to traditional surgery, faster recovery, and an almost immediate return to a good quality of life after surgery.
