You’ve been noticing pain in your hips and knees for years, but it’s mild. You can still go about your day-to-day life without the pain stopping you. However, as the years pass, the pain becomes worse and stands in the way of your daily activities.
When knee or hip pain has reached this point, your provider may recommend a joint replacement.
Most knee and hip replacement surgeries are total joint arthroplasties (TJAs), meaning they replace all areas of your joint. Knee replacements are called “total knee arthroplasties” and hip replacements are called “total hip arthroplasties.”
TJAs involve placing a prosthetic (artificial body part) implant into your joint to replace damaged cartilage and bone. TJAs treat pain, stiffness, swelling, or a limited ability to move.
Many adults need joint replacements. In fact, with more than 850,000 knee replacements and 45,000 hip replacements performed each year in the US, they are among the most common orthopedic surgeries. While the recommendation to get surgery itself might not come as much of a shock, you might be surprised if you learn that a robot is going to be your surgeon’s copilot.
Open, Minimally Invasive, and Robotic TJAs
TJAs can be either traditional open surgeries or minimally invasive procedures, and not all of them involve robots.
- Open surgery: The surgeon makes a longer cut over the joint. This exposes the joint so the surgeon can see and access it.
- Minimally invasive surgery: The procedure is similar, but the surgeon only needs to make one or a few smaller cuts rather than a large incision. The smaller cut may reduce pain and recovery time after the surgery.
Both types of surgery are safe and effective. Your provider will help you determine which is the best for you.
If you would get more information about having your knee or hip replaced, make an appointment with a South Bend Clinic orthopedic specialist.
If you would like to learn more about how robotic-assisted surgery can benefit you or to schedule a consultation, call us at (574) 234‑8161.
Robotic-assisted surgery falls under the minimally invasive umbrella, and it’s currently the most advanced type of surgery. It’s a tool for performing surgery – but it does not replace your surgeon. The surgeon will have control over the robot the entire time.
You might be a bit hesitant to trust robots, but you can rest assured that they are very safe. The small risks of infection or complications are essentially the same as those of any surgery.
Also read: VELYS™ Robotic-Assisted Solution | Knee Replacement and VELYS™ Hip Navigation | Anterior Total Hip Replacement
The South Bend Clinic is proud to use the VELYS Robotic-Assisted Solution and the VELYS Hip Navigation – cutting-edge technologies that allow our surgeons to provide even greater accuracy in knee and hip replacements.
How Robotic TJA Works
Before the procedure, your surgeon will take a series of images of your joint to create a 3D plan that’s customized for your TJA. This will help your surgeon determine the best size and placement for your implant.
The exact process might change a little based on the technology your surgeon uses. But in general, robotic surgery for TJA involves these steps:
- You will receive anesthesia, which is a medication that prevents pain during surgery. You might receive:
- General anesthesia, where you’re put to sleep.
- Regional anesthesia, where your lower body is numb but you remain awake.
- Your surgeon will place tiny tracking pins into your bone. These give your surgeon sensory feedback in real time so they can make sure they’re being precise as they remove damaged cartilage and bone.
- Guided by the surgeon, the robot will place the implant.
- After surgery, you will spend about an hour in the recovery room where you will be monitored as the anesthesia wears off.
A robotic TJA doesn’t always require an overnight hospital stay. Depending on your needs, you might be able to go home the same day (outpatient surgery).
A Robotic Recovery
It’s important to remember that, even if it’s minimally invasive or uses robots, TJA isn’t a minor surgery. You might have some pain or discomfort for several weeks after surgery, and it could take up to several months to a year before you fully recover.
That said, there is good news if you go the robotic route. Robotic TJA is known to improve recovery. In most cases, robotic procedures tend to have a quicker recovery time. Recovery may also be less painful.
Read on Duly Health and Care: Getting Your House Ready for Total Joint Replacement Recovery
Why You Should Trust a Robot
In addition to improving recovery, robotic surgery has several other advantages. For example:
- Better accuracy: It’s more precise when it comes to planning, cutting, and fitting the implant.
- Increased personalization: Procedures are based on your individual anatomy, which makes the implant feel more stable and natural.
- Improved outcomes: With better placement, there is a reduced risk of complications.
- Smaller scars: There are less noticeable and smaller scars.
Knee replacements can also result in fewer post-op physical therapy appointments.
There are very few known downsides to robotic surgery. A potential one is cost. While out-of-pocket costs for patients are relatively similar for the surgery itself, you may have additional costs if the procedure requires more pre-operative imaging (like MRIs or CT scans). However, some research has shown that out-of-pocket costs might actually be less with robotic surgery, so check with your insurance company before letting the cost stop you.
Whether it’s nerves about costs, joint replacement implants, or robotic surgeries, your surgeon is there to help. You can always reach out if you knee‑d more information.
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I am an orthopedic surgeon sub-specializing in hip and knee joint replacements. I enjoy talking with my patients about their orthopedic problems and working together to determine the best treatment options for them, whether operative or non-operative.
Operatively, I perform all types of hip and knee replacements, including partial and total knee replacements as well as total hip replacements. I perform my total hip replacements through a tissue-sparing direct anterior approach, which is beneficial to my patients due to the associated lower pain level, faster recovery, and no postoperative restrictions as compared to a posterior approach.
I also perform complex revision hip and knee replacements, and I enjoy the challenge of these cases. I love orthopedics because I get to work with patients to improve their pain and quality of life through non-operative treatments as well as life-changing hip and knee replacements.
