LANCASTER — UPMC Pinnacle Lancaster announced Tuesday it is the first hospital in Lancaster County to use a new, robotic-arm-assisted knee replacement procedure.
The Stryker robotic arm is used with UPMC Pinnacle’s existing Mako System, which uses a CT-based 3D model to create each patient’s surgical plan before entering the operating room. The system identifies the size of the implant and the orientation and alignment of the joint based on each patient’s unique anatomy, the hospital says. During surgery, the surgeon can validate the pre-operative plan and make any necessary adjustments while guiding the robotic arm to carry out that plan.
“Mako is changing the way joint replacement surgeries are performed by providing each patient very personalized care, based on their specific diagnosis and anatomy, with robotic precision,” said Seth Baublitz, DO, orthopaedic surgeon with Orthopaedic Specialists of Central PA. “With this technology, we are able to remove the diseased bone with great accuracy, while preserving important soft tissues. Our goal is to optimize recovery.”
UPMC Pinnacle says the benefits of robotic arm-assisted knee surgery include:
- Precise placement of the implant
- Reduced injury to adjacent tissues
- Increased longevity of the implant
“We were the first and only hospital in Lancaster County to bring Mako partial knee replacement to the County in 2010. And now we are proud to be the first and only hospital in the county to offer the latest advancement in Mako’s highly advanced robotic technology,” said Brooks Turkel, Senior Vice President and President of UPMC Pinnacle, Lancaster Region. “This addition to our orthopaedic service line further demonstrates our commitment to transforming healthcare in Lancaster County and beyond.”
