Robot-Assisted Joint Replacement at DMC

Makoplasty utilizies a robotic arm to assist with various joint procedures designed to relieve the pain caused by joint degeneration due to osteoarthritis (OA) or inflammatory arthritis. By using the robotic assisted procedure, your DMC Orthopaedic surgeon can resurface or replace your joint with precision not previously available. The precision leads to better functioning and longer lasting joints, as well as greater patient satisfaction.

Attend one of our Knee and Hip Pain Solutions seminars to learn more and ask questions related to your condition, insurance, and more.

Knee and Hip Pain Solutions

Makoplasty procedures are available at DMC Harper University Hospital, DMC Huron Valley-Sinai Hospital, and DMC Sinai-Grace Hospital. Procedure options include partial knee resurfacing, total knee replacement and total hip replacement.

Mako Partial Knee Resurfacing

Unlike more invasive procedures, Makoplasty can often be performed through a small incision on the side of your knee. Only the diseased portion of your knee is replaced. By preserving your own natural bone and tissue and using patient specific implant positioning, your surgery results in a more natural feeling knee since healthy bone is preserved. Detroit Medical Center has been performing Mako Partial knee procedures since 2012.

Benefits of Makoplasty can include:

• Precise resurfacing of only the arthritic portion of the knee
• Preservation of ligaments and healthy bone
• Facilitation of optimal implant positioning resulting in a more natural feeling knee following surgery
• A more rapid recovery than traditional total knee replacement surgery
• Lower risk of complications
• Outpatient surgery (for partial knee replacements)

The Makoplasty procedure at DMC is indicated for patients suffering from unicompartmental or bicompartmental knee disease. If you have been told that you are a candidate for a total knee replacement, get another opinion from a DMC Orthopaedic Surgeon to determine if you are a candidate for a partial knee replacement.

Mako Partial Knee Resurfacing is covered by Medicare and most other insurers.

Mako Robotic Total Knee Replacement

The Mako Total Knee Replacement surgery uses robotic arm-assisted technology which can ensure accurate alignment and placement of the knee implant. More-often the accuracy is significantly better than if the operation is performed in the traditional manner. When a single degree can make a difference on the performance of the new joint, being able to make alignments to within a millimeter is critical. Your DMC Orthopaedic Surgeon can do that in real time in the operating room.

Mako Robotic Total Hip Replacement

The use of this highly advanced robotic arm technology can:

• Enable surgeons to accurately replace the joint through pre-planning using a computer model of the patient’s hip
• Facilitate optimal implant positioning to assure restoration of leg length and muscle balance to achieve a more natural feeling following surgery
• Result in a more rapid recovery and shorter hospital stay when compared to traditional total joint replacement surgery
• Promote a rapid relief from pain and a more rapid return to daily activities

The robotic arm system provides many benefits, including patient-specific computer modeling for pre-surgical planning. During the procedure, the combination of the robotic arm and three-dimensional tracking technology provides the surgeon with real-time visual, tactile and auditory feedback, enabling reproducible precision and optimal positioning of the implant(s). It is this level of accuracy that facilitates optimal implant positioning and alignment, resulting in a more natural motion following surgery and a better, longer-lasting outcome.