Robotic Partial Knee Replacement

What is a robotic partial knee replacement?

Robotic partial knee replacement is a surgical treatment designed to relieve pain in the knee caused by the wear and tear of joint cartilage.

The partial knee resurfacing procedure is done using a robotic arm, which lets your surgeon treat only the damaged part of the knee. The nature of the procedure allows healthy bone and ligaments surrounding the damaged area to be spared from trauma.

This procedure is suited for adults suffering knee pain from osteoarthritis in 1 of the 3 knee compartments, but who do not require a total knee replacement.

How it works

The knee consists of 3 compartments – the medial (inner), lateral (outer) and patellofemoral (between kneecap and thigh bone) regions. If 2 or more compartments of the knee are affected, doctors usually advise a total knee replacement. If only 1 compartment is affected, a partial knee replacement may be appropriate.

Traditionally, surgeons perform a partial knee replacement using conventional instrumentation. Technological advances, such as the aid of a robotic arm, have increased the precision of bone cuts and allowed more accurate positioning of implants.

Why do you need a robotic partial knee replacement?

The partial knee resurfacing procedure is designed to relieve the pain caused by joint degeneration. It offers potential benefits such as:

• Improved accuracy of bone cuts
• Improved accuracy of implant placement
• Shorter hospitalisation
• Reduced blood loss

What are the risks and complications of a robotic partial knee replacement?

Although partial knee replacement is considered a minimally invasive procedure, there are still risks associated with the surgery.

Complications include:

• Blood clots in the veins
• Fractures
• Implant loosening
• Infection
• Nerve or blood vessel damage

The main disadvantage of a partial knee replacement is the potential need for future conversion to a total knee replacement should the arthritis progress to the other knee compartments.

What can you expect in a robotic partial knee replacement?

Before the surgery, a computerised tomography (CT) scan of your knee is taken, and this is fed into the robotic system.

During the surgery, your knee is mapped out by the surgeon and verified against the CT scan.

Your surgeon can then plan your knee replacement including the bone cuts to be made and the implant positioning and sizes.

The robot then guides your surgeon to perform the bone cuts aiming for an accuracy of within 1mm and component alignment within 3 degrees of variance.

Care and recovery period for a robotic partial knee replacement

Recovery time is reduced due to treatment of only the necessary area.

You will likely be on crutches for a few days to 2 weeks post-operation. After approximately 6 weeks, you may be able to resume daily activities.