Written on behalf on NYC Health + Hospitals
On Aug. 10, NYC Health + Hospitals announced that it has acquired the Stryker Mako SmartRobotics system which will now be used to assist in hip and knee replacement procedures at the organization’s Elmhurst location.
According to a press release on the matter, the new surgical option will offer patients “a minimally invasive alternative for total hip, total knee, and partial knee replacements.” The use of the “highly advanced technology” is said to enable patients to “recover faster and more effectively.”
NYC Health + Hospitals/Elmhurst is the first hospital within the NYC Health + Hospital system to introduce the Mako robotic surgical procedure.
According to the company behind the technology, Stryker, laboratory studies indicate that the use of the robotic system “enabled surgeons to execute their surgical plans more accurately,” and that clinical trials showed that the technology “protected soft tissue and ligaments from damage” during surgery.
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Stryker says that Barbara Cotoia, 62, a double knee replacement recipient and active grandmother experienced tremendous success with her knee replacements performed using their technology.
She said that before the procedure her knee pain made her feel like “an old lady” and that she was unable to do many of the things she loved like playing with her grandchildren and gardening.
Following the procedure, and weeks of physical therapy, Cotoia can now do the things she loves prompting her to say, “I can only imagine how far my Stryker knees may take me.”
Another clinical trial indicated that patients who received surgeries with the assistance of the Mako robotic system reported “lower pain scores than those who received a conventional joint replacement.”
“NYC Health + Hospitals/Elmhurst is happy to be able to offer the Stryker Mako SmartRobotics system as an option for our patients,” said NYC Health + Hospitals/Elmhurst CEO Helen Arteaga Landaverde, adding that, “This demonstrates our commitment to providing the highest quality care to our orthopedic patients as well as our continuing efforts to embrace advanced technology so that our community has the care it needs and deserves.”
According to Dr. Rohit Hasija, Elmhurst’s Hip and Knee Program Director, the Mako robotic system combines “3D CT-based planning with data analytics” to allow health care professionals to “create a more personalized plan for each patient based on their unique anatomy before surgery.”
“During surgery, we can then confirm that plan and adjust if needed, all the while guiding a surgical robotic-arm to perform that plan,” Hasija said, adding that, “We are thrilled to be able to offer these advanced techniques as part of the care we provide as we believe them to lead to better outcomes for total knee, total hip and partial knee patients.”
The system was designed primarily to relieve pain associated with joint degeneration due to osteoarthritis.
Studies have shown that the use of this system results in greater accuracy of implant position compared to traditional methods and boasts several other benefits for patients including less pain, less need for opiate pain relievers, less need for inpatient physical therapy and shorter hospital stays.
For New Yorkers seeking more information on programs and services at NYC Health + Hospitals/Elmhurst, call 718-334-4000 or visit nychealthandhospitals.org/elmhurst.
