Knee replacement surgery is offered to people who are experiencing severe knee pain and loss of function, due to a degenerative condition like osteoarthritis, or serious knee injury. Some orthopaedic surgeons, including Carrothers Orthopaedics, use Mako – a state-of-the-art software and robotic arm technology developed by Stryker – to plan and implement knee replacement procedures. It has a number of important advantages over conventional joint replacement surgery.
What is a Mako knee replacement?
The Mako system uses a CT scan of the patient’s knee joint to create a detailed 3D image of the anatomy of the patient’s knee. This is then used to pre-plan the knee replacement surgery in detail, which results in better fit prothesis to the patient’s unique anatomy (customised implantation) and likely more predictable future outcomes.
During the surgery itself, the Mako system’s AccuStop haptic technology and precision robotic arm helps to guide the surgeon to remain within the pre-defined boundaries, cutting away only diseased bone and cartilage and leaving healthy tissue and bone intact. Once the joint has been prepared, the prosthetic implant can be precisely positioned and fixed in place. Pinpoint accuracy is essential during knee replacement surgery as even a fractional misalignment of the prosthesis can result in pain and reduced function.
What are the benefits of Mako?
There are many benefits from using Mako robotic arm assisted surgery, which is why growing numbers of orthopaedic consultants around the world are investing in this leading-edge technology. The 3D image of the patient’s knee joint allows the surgeon to see more of the patient’s unique anatomy and create a detailed CT-based plan covering the coronal, transverse and sagittal planes.
This functional positioning means they can fully assess and balance the joint for optimum performance. Mako patients spend less time on the operating table, which contributes to faster recovery times, and six-month patient surveys reveal lower pain scores compared to patients who undergo conventional joint replacement surgery.
How long will a Mako knee replacement last?
According to The Lancet, around 82% of total knee replacements and 70% of partial knee replacements last for 25 years. A study in The Bone and Joint Journal (December 2019) looked at partial knee replacements carried out using Mako five years after the procedure. It found that the implant was continuing to perform well in 97.8% of patients who underwent a medial partial knee replacement, 97.7% of those who’d had a patellofemoral knee replacement and 93.3% of those who’d had a bicompartmental knee replacement.
Mako knee replacement implants differ from other traditional implants as they are designed to replicate the knee’s natural circular motion and offer enhanced stability as you bend and flex your knee. By contrast, other conventional implants follow an oval motion. The single radius design of Mako implants means that, as your knee flexes, the centre of rotation stays the same – similar to a circle. This likely contributes to improved long-term performance and durability.
What happens if the knee implant wears out?
Over time, all prosthetic implants wear out. When this happens, you will need a revision knee replacement, which involves removing the worn implant and replacing it with a new one. Unfortunately, revision knee replacements generally have less positive outcomes and carry a higher risk of complications than primary knee replacements. However, because Mako helps to preserve as much healthy tissue and bone as possible, the risks associated with revision knee surgery after a primary procedure using Mako tend to be lower.
What is the difference between a partial and a total knee replacement?
A total knee replacement involves removing the entire knee joint and replacing it with an artificial implant. With a partial knee replacement, only the damaged compartments of the knee are replaced, leaving the remainder of the knee joint intact. Each procedure has pros and cons and your orthopaedic surgeon will discuss whether a partial or total knee replacement is most suitable for you.
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