Dr. Zachary Weidner, M.D.

Mako robotic-arm assisted surgery can now be performed for any patient undergoing total knee replacement to alleviate their knee pain from knee arthritis. This is a new technology available to knee replacement patients only in the last year or so. Mako provides you and your surgeon with a personalized surgical plan based on your unique anatomy. First, a CT scan of the diseased and painful knee joint is taken. This CT scan is uploaded into the Mako System software, where a 3D model of your knee is created. This 3D model is used to pre-plan and assist your surgeon in performing your total knee replacement. 

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In the operating room, your surgeon follows your personalized surgical plan. The surgeon guides the robotic-arm to remove diseased bone and cartilage within the pre-defined area and the Mako System helps the surgeon stay within the planned boundaries that were defined when the personalized pre-operative plan was created.

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It’s important to understand that the surgery is performed by an orthopaedic surgeon, who guides the robotic-arm during the surgery to position the implant in the knee joint. The robotic-arm does not perform surgery, make decisions on its own, or move without the surgeon guiding the robotic-arm. The Mako System also allows your surgeon to make adjustments to your plan during surgery as needed.

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Using the Mako robot for total knee replacement has the potential to greatly improve outcomes for knee replacement patients. It helps the surgeon to more precisely cut the bone and balance the knee so that the patient does not have issues with knee pain or instability after surgery.