Forbes, Jefferson Join List of Allegheny Health Network Hospitals Offering Robotic-Assisted Hip and Knee Surgeries
PITTSBURGH, PA (PRWEB) March 29, 2017 -- Patients in the eastern suburbs and South Hills of Pittsburgh now have easier access to the robotic-assisted total-hip and partial-knee replacement surgeries that are offered in western Pennsylvania only by Allegheny Health Network (AHN). Orthopaedic surgeons at Forbes Hospital and Jefferson Hospital recently started performing these surgeries using the state-of-the-art MAKO Robotic arm Interactive Orthopaedic (RIO) system, joining their colleagues at Allegheny General, West Penn and Saint Vincent hospitals in offering unprecedented precision and accuracy in joint placement.
The MAKOplasty system is designed to facilitate minimally invasive surgical techniques, allowing surgeons to treat patients at earlier stages of joint disease. This helps to prevent further deterioration and improves outcomes. MAKOplasty uses a computed tomography (CT) scan of the patient’s joint to create a 3-dimentional map of the surgical area. The robotic arm then assists the surgeon as damaged bone is cut away, limiting the drilling to areas that were pre-defined in the surgical plan.
“The MAKOplasty system ensures the greatest possible accuracy with a detailed surgical plan and robotic guidance that guarantees that only arthritic portions of bone are resurfaced while healthy bone and tissue are preserved,” said Brian F. Moore, MD, who performs surgeries using MAKOplasty at Forbes along with fellow orthopaedic surgeon Brian A. Mosier, MD. The hospital performed its first MAKOplasty procedure in February. “This precision allows for optimal placement of artificial joints and results in decreased friction on the new joint and a more natural feeling joint for the patient.”
Orthopaedic surgeons David Stapor, MD, and Zachary Sisko, MD, started using MAKOplasty for total-hip and partial-knee replacements at Jefferson Hospital late last year.
“This less invasive option helps patients remain active and pain free for many years, and it enables them to avoid total knee replacement for longer,” said Dr. Stapor. “Plus, it has the benefit of smaller incisions and scars, less blood loss, a quicker recovery time and a shorter hospital stay. Often, patients are able to return home the same day or the morning after surgery.”
Dr. Stapor also noted that patients’ surgically repaired knees tend to feel more normal after partial-knee replacements because only the area or areas affected by arthritis are replaced.
Osteoarthritis, or “wear and tear” arthritis, is a leading cause of joint damage and disability worldwide, according to the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons, and it afflicts more than 30 million people in the United States. It can occur in any joint in the body, but most often develops in weight-bearing joints, such as the hip and knee.
MAKOplasty can be used to treat early- to mid-stage osteoarthritis that has not progressed to all three compartments of the knee.
In hip replacement surgery, MAKOplasty helps the surgeon select the best size and positioning of implant components to achieve ideal biomechanical alignment.
“Robotic joint replacement surgery is another example of Allegheny Health Network using the latest technologies and best surgical techniques to give our patients fantastic outcomes,” said Patrick J. DeMeo, MD, Chair of the Department of Orthopaedics at Allegheny Health Network and Medical Director of the Pittsburgh Pirates. “As more and more active adults age 45 to 65 are seeking relief for severe joint pain, we’re poised to provide the best array of options to meet their unique needs.”
About Allegheny Health Network
Allegheny Health Network, part of Highmark Health, is an integrated healthcare delivery system serving the Western Pennsylvania region. The Network is comprised of eight hospitals, including its flagship academic medical center Allegheny General Hospital, Allegheny Valley Hospital, Canonsburg Hospital, Forbes Hospital, Jefferson Hospital, Saint Vincent Hospital, Westfield Memorial Hospital and West Penn Hospital; a research institute; Health + Wellness Pavilions; an employed physician organization, home and community based health services and a group purchasing organization. The Network employs approximately 17,000 people and has more than 2,800 physicians on its medical staff. The Network also serves as a clinical campus for Temple University School of Medicine, Drexel University College of Medicine and the Lake Erie College of Osteopathic Medicine.
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Doug Braunsdorf, Allegheny Health Network, +1 412-522-7112, [email protected]
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