MacOrtho Arthroplasty Fellowship Will Include Hands-On Experience with Robotic Assisted Total Joint Surgery
St. Joseph’s Healthcare Hamilton (affiliated with McMaster University) is proud to be the first centre in Canada to have acquired the Stryker Mako Rio Surgical Robotic System. This powerful tool uses 3D reconstructive technology based upon a pre-operative CT scan to create a detailed plan prior to the surgery that can then be uploaded to the robotic unit such that the plan is carried out precisely in the OR via a robotic arm.
“The real benefit is the accuracy of this machine. Now we can plan the entire surgery before we make a cut,” says Dr. Anthony Adili, Arthroplasty Surgeon and Chief of Surgery at St. Joseph’s. “It allows us to take a step back and think of different ways to approach the surgery. For example, instead of cutting away part of the bone to match the implant, we can match the implant to the patient’s physical structure. It completely flips the surgery on its head.”
Furthermore, the Rio will provide real-time inter-operative visual, tactile and auditory feedback and can even allow for on-the-fly alterations to be made in the plan as dictated by each individual patient’s anatomy and soft tissue envelope. This enables a high level of precision and optimal positioning of the implants during surgery.
As arthroplasty Fellows you will have the only exposure in the country currently to this rapidly growing technology that is advancing exponentially across the globe. Robotics has entered the world of hip and knee arthroplasty and shows no sign of ever leaving. The preciseness of robotic surgery cannot be argued, and it is expected that this will soon translate to better patient outcomes.