Physicians Regional first in area to perform robotic-arm knee surgery

COURTESY PHOTO RIO® Robotic Arm Interactive Orthopedic System Physicians Regional Healthcare System CEO Joe D. Pinion announced that the hospital is the first in Southwest Florida to perform robotic-arm knee surgery. The first surgery was successfully performed by orthopedic surgeon Frederick F. Buechel Jr., M.D.

“We are very pleased to bring this innovative technology to the Southwest Florida community,” said Mr. Pinion. “Now, an even broader base of patients will be able to experience the benefits of robotic surgery.”

Dr. Buechel utilized the RIO Robotic Arm Interactive Orthopedic System, developed by MAKO Surgical Corp., to perform a new, minimally invasive partial knee resurfacing procedure called MAKOplasty, which is used to treat early to mid-stage osteoarthritis of the knee.

The RIO system features a tactile robotic arm and 3-D virtual patient specific

visualization system that enables surgeons to precisely target only the diseased portion of the knee, without compromising the healthy bone and tissue

surrounding it. Potential benefits of this minimally invasive procedure include a shorter hospital stay, more rapid recovery and a more natural feeling knee following surgery.

“Precision is key in planning and performing partial knee surgeries,” said Dr. Buechel. “For a good outcome, you need to align and position the implants just right. Precision in surgery, and in the pre-operative planning process, is what RIO can deliver.”

In fact, the system provides the surgeon with a presurgical plan that details the technique for bone preparation and customized implant positioning using a CT scan of the patient’s knee. During the procedure, the system creates a three-dimensional live-action, virtual view of the patient’s bone surface and correlates the image to the pre-programmed surgical plan. As the surgeon uses the robotic arm, its tactile, acoustic and visual feedback limits the bone preparation to the diseased areas and provides for more optimal implant positioning and placement for each individual patient.

The RIO is now part of the Robotic and Laparoscopic Surgery Center at Physicians Regional, which also features the da Vinci-S Surgical System. 