More than 17 patients have already received robotic-assisted knee replacements at the Mediclinic Bloemfontein.
According to Dr Allan van Zyl, orthopaedic surgeon, the Rosa Knee System is used to help support surgeons target better fit and function of a knee than ever before.
The Mediclinic Bloemfontein is one of only three hospitals in this group leasing these machines. The other two hospitals are located in the Western Cape.
“When I started with implants way back when, only three options were available: small, medium and large. These had to work for everybody,” Van Zyl told journalists at a media conference.
“This new system replaces a knee accurately within millimetres. It really works towards a personalised knee replacement that suits each patient.”
He says total knee replacement surgery is a very common and effective treatment for patients suffering from arthritis of the knee. The success of an individual’s knee replacement is closely linked to the fit and function of the new implant.
While the knee replacement surgery using the new system is similar to the traditional surgery, the system combines precise data and a robotic arm with the surgeon’s skill and experience. The result is an implant position more accurately placed than with original methods.
The robot does not perform the surgery, but assists surgeons with live data and guidance throughout the surgery.
Robotic-assisted knee surgery has been associated with reduced pain, lower usage of pain relievers and fewer physical therapy sessions.
