SEMC First in Region to Perform Robotic Partial Knee Resurfacing

Andrew Wickline, MD, FAAOS, stands by robotic technology that allows partial knee resurfacing at St. Elizabeth Medical Center.

John Sullivan, MD, stands by the robotic technology at SEMC.

Minimally invasive procedure for early to mid-stage osteoarthritis may provide quicker recovery and more natural feeling knee post-surgery

UTICA -- St. Elizabeth Medical Center (SEMC) is now offering robotic partial knee resurfacing, a minimally invasive treatment option for adults living with early to mid-stage osteoarthritis that has not yet progressed to all three compartments of the knee. Use of MAKOplasty allows less invasive surgery than traditional, total knee surgery and is performed using RIO^®, a highly advanced, surgeon-controlled robotic arm system. SEMC is the first to acquire this technology in the region east of Syracuse.

MAKOplasty potentially offers the following benefits as compared to total knee surgery:

• Reduced pain
• Minimal hospitalization
• More rapid recovery
• Less implant wear and loosening
• Smaller scar
• Better motion and a more natural-feeling knee.

“MAKOplasty allows us to treat patients with knee osteoarthritis at earlier stages and with greater precision. Because it is less invasive and preserves more of the patient’s natural knee, the goal is for patients to have relief from their pain, gain back their knee motion, and return to their daily activities,” said Charles Williams, BSHA, director of Perioperative Operations for Mohawk Valley Health System (MVHS).

Through its innovative use of technology, MAKOplasty takes partial knee resurfacing to a new level of precision. The opportunity for early intervention is important as osteoarthritis is the most common form of arthritis and a leading cause of disability worldwide, according to the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons.

“Precision is key in planning and performing partial knee surgeries,” said orthopedic surgeon Andrew Wickline, MD, FAAOS, and the only surgeon at SEMC who does partial knee resurfacing. “For a good outcome, you need to align and position the implants just right. Precision in surgery, and in the pre-operative planning process, is what RIO helps us deliver for each individual patient.”

The RIO^® system enables the surgeon to complete a patient-specific, pre-surgical plan that details the technique for bone preparation and customized implant positioning using a CT scan of the patient’s own knee. During the procedure, the system creates a three-dimensional, virtual view of the patient’s bone surface and correlates the image to the pre-programmed surgical plan. As the surgeon uses the robotic arm, its tactile, auditory and visual feedback limits the bone preparation to the diseased areas and provides for real time adjustments and more optimal implant positioning and placement for each individual patient.

For more information about partial knee resurfacing contact the office of Dr. Andrew Wickline at (315) 735-4496 or Dr. John Sullivan at (315) 798-1617.

Faxton St. Luke’s Healthcare and St. Elizabeth Medical Center are affiliates under the Mohawk Valley Health System.