The MAKOplasty® hip procedure is a treatment option for people suffering from either non-inflammatory or inflammatory degenerative joint disease (DJD) and hip osteonecrosis.
The hip is a ball-and-socket joint consisting of the spherical head of the femur (thighbone), which moves inside a cup-shaped hollow socket in the pelvis (acetabulum). When cartilage in the hip wears down, bare bone is exposed. When bone-on-bone contact occurs within the joint, it can cause pain in the groin, hip, spine, thigh, and knee.
Hip implants aim to remove that pain by reconstructing a surface to replace the lost cartilage.
What Is MAKOplasty® Hip Surgery?
The MAKOplasty® hip surgical technique uses the assistance of an advanced Robotic Arm Interactive Orthopedic System (RIO®). A RIO® is a robotic arm that gives surgeons extremely high levels of precision and control during surgery.
Before surgery, your surgeon will take a CT scan of the diseased joint and upload it to the MAKO software, which creates a 3D model of your hip. Your surgeons will then use that 3D model to plan and assist them during the operation. This means every patient receives a personalized surgical plan specific to their hip.
In the Operating Room
Before surgery, surgeons use the 3D reconstruction of the patient’s hip to plan the implant’s positioning. During surgery, the MAKO system helps surgeons stay within the boundaries set during the pre-operative plan.
Your surgeon will follow your personalized surgical plan during the operation while the MAKOplasty® hip technology helps them accurately place and align the implant components. The RIO® provides real-time data for intraoperative adjustments, enabling surgeons to optimally align and position the implants.
The operation is performed by first preparing the socket (or acetabulum). The surgeon uses the robotic arm to accurately ream and shape the acetabulum to prepare it for cup placement. The RIO® enables accuracy in controlling the depth of bone removal and determining the hip’s center of rotation, which aids in implant positioning and alignment.
When the bone preparation is complete, the surgeon uses the robotic arm to implant the cup, and the plastic liner is then locked into the metal cup. Moving on to the femur, the surgeon shapes the inner aspect of the bone required for the implant, and RIO® measures the femoral component’s position. The femoral stem is implanted, and the correct ball size is attached to the stem to reconstruct leg length and soft tissue tension.
It is important to note that a surgeon is performing your procedure. At no time is the robot deciding for itself or moving without being guided by the surgeon. While the robotic arm may aid in the surgery, the surgeon is still behind its every move.
Interested in Makoplasty®?
Thanks to the fine control that MAKOplasty® hip procedures provide, post-operative pain and discomfort are significantly less than in traditional approaches. Although it depends on the case, many patients are discharged from the hospital in under three days. In addition, most patients can return to walking and driving their cars after only two weeks.
If you want to know if you are a candidate for a MAKOplasty® hip procedure, click here to schedule an appointment at one of our locations.
