Message from Russell Cohen, MD
Tucson Orthopaedic Institute - Phoenix, AZ
Having performed robotic-arm assisted surgery with Mako for 3 years, I’ve become accustomed to knowing more about my patients prior to my first cut. Looking back on my manual approach, I’m amazed by how much more information and concrete data I have at my disposal to make planning and surgical decisions based on the unique anatomy and functional needs of my patients.
At the upcoming AAHKS meeting in Dallas, TX, in November, I’ll be chairing a symposium on Mako and its CT-based approach to personalized surgery. I’m excited to discuss Mako with my fellow panelists and dive deeper into new scientific data and research by my peers.
Top 5 things I like about Mako’s CT-based planning
5. Knowing more. The information Mako’s 3D CT scan provides is real data—not just an algorithmic approximation of my patient’s bone. This helps me to know more about their individual, unique anatomy including osteophytes, cysts and obscure bony defects. This is especially useful when performing difficult cases, but also essential for the routine cases we perform every day. It’s knowledge you simply don’t have with a 2D imaging model.
4. Intra-operative adjustments. Knowing my patient’s real anatomy in 3D enables me to adjust my plan intra-operatively based on my patient’s soft tissue for joint balancing and line restoration. The ability to balance the soft tissue before committing to bone resections has helped create a more customized experience for my patients.
3. Accuracy and precision. The CT scan enables the haptically guided robotic-arm assisted cutting tool, which allows me to precisely execute my plan1,2,3. My experience echoes several published clinical studies which have shown that Mako has demonstrated higher accuracy and precision to plan for implant placement in all three Mako applications compared to manual techniques1,4,5.
2. Cutting less. My experience with Mako’s AccuStopTM haptic technology is similar to what has been reported in the literature. With Mako Total Knee I’m noticing more pristine bone resections and less soft tissue damage when compared to manual cutting blocks6, less removal of healthy acetabular bone with Mako Total Hip’s single stage reaming7, and bone preservation with Mako Partial Knee and the Restoris MCK implant system8. With Mako, I cut what I plan and cut less than I ever did using manual instruments6,7,8.
1. Encouraging results. Across all three applications, Mako Robotic-Arm Assisted Surgery has shown better outcomes compared to manual surgery2,9,10,11. These published outcomes correlate to what I have seen in my own patients. This includes promising early functional outcomes for Mako Total Knee9,10, the THA highest Forgotten Joint Score (FJS) for Mako Total Hip12, and one of the lowest partial knee revision rates in the Australian registry for Mako Partial Knee13.
Dr. Russell Cohen is a paid-consultant of Stryker. The opinions expressed by Dr. Cohen are those of Dr. Cohen and not necessarily those of Stryker. Individual experiences may vary.
A surgeon must always rely on his or her own professional clinical judgment when deciding whether to use a particular product when treating a particular patient. Stryker does not dispense medical advice and recommends that surgeons be trained in the use of any particular product before using it in surgery.
The information presented is intended to demonstrate the breadth of Stryker's product offerings. A surgeon must always refer to the package insert, product label and/or instructions for use before using any of Stryker's products. Products may not be available in all markets because product availability is subject to the regulatory and/or medical practices in individual markets. Please contact your sales representative if you have questions about the availability of products in your area.
Stryker Corporation or its divisions or other corporate affiliated entities own, use or have applied for the following trademarks or service marks: Mako, Stryker. All other trademarks are trademarks of their respective owners or holders.
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