Mar 22 2013
In May, Tri-City Medical Center will begin providing robotic surgeries for partial knee replacements resulting in less invasive, faster procedures with quicker recovery times for patients who suffer from debilitating arthritis pain.
The new NavioPFS™ precision orthopaedic surgical system, manufactured by Blue Belt Technologies, Inc., will be used for partial knee replacements through Tri-City's Orthopaedic & Spine Institute. The procedure places an implant on just one side of the patient's knee, rather than over the entire knee joint surface, as in a total knee replacement. Tri-City is the second U.S hospital equipped with this system.
"Orthopaedic surgeries are becoming less-invasive and more precise with a focus on joint preservation, leading to faster recovery," said Tri-City CEO Larry Anderson. "The NavioPFS addition is another key step in Tri-City Medical Center's effort to bring patients the full benefit of today's robotically integrated surgical procedures."
"I can now offer patients partial knee replacements with state-of-the-art robotic precision, and the system allows me to plan the surgery for optimum alignment and longevity," said orthopaedic surgeon Dr. James Helgager, Medical Director of Joint Replacement at Tri-City. "My younger patients can now have a partial knee replacement using the NavioPFS and return to their active lifestyles more quickly."
The NavioPFS system for unicondylar -- or partial -- knee replacements utilizes an advanced CT-free intra-operative registration, planning and navigation platform to aid the surgeon in building patient-specific surgical plans. The computer-controlled hand piece assists the surgeon in preparing the bone with reproducible accuracy. Precision Freehand Sculpting, the underlying technology behind the NavioPFS hand-held technique, represents the next evolution in orthopedic robotic-assisted devices by re-emphasizing the importance of the surgeon in computer-assisted procedures.
Source: http://www.tricitymed.org/