Dr. Kevin Jones, center, performs hip replacement surgery at Beaufort Memorial using the Mako robotic-assisted technology.
Following almost two years of highly successful knee replacements with the Mako Robotic Arm-Assisted Surgery System, Beaufort Memorial Hospital (BMH) is now offering the leading-edge technology for hip replacements, one of the most common elective orthopedic procedures in the U.S.
With the advanced robotic system, orthopedic surgeons can implant the prosthetic hip components with greater precision resulting in a better functioning joint.
“The Mako robot has been a game changer for knee replacements,” said board-certified orthopedic surgeon Dr. Kevin Jones. “The results have been amazing. Patients are recovering faster. I think we’ll see a similar effect with hip replacements.”
Jones has used the robotic technology to perform more than 200 total knee replacements and was the first surgeon to perform hip replacement at BMH using the new system.
Clinical studies have shown the robotic surgery system improves outcomes by allowing the surgeon to customize the placement and alignment of hip implant components to the patient’s unique anatomy, providing more natural movement of the joint and reducing the risk of hip dislocation following surgery.
“We used to eyeball the placement of the prosthetic cup that goes in the hip socket,” said Jones. “Now we can place it more accurately, which ensures optimal function and a more natural feel.”
Prior to surgery, a CT scan is taken of the hip joint to create a 3-D virtual model of the patient’s anatomy. The surgeon uses the model to evaluate bone structure, disease severity, joint alignment and the surrounding bone and tissue to determine the optimal size, placement and alignment of the implant components.
During the operation, the surgeon follows the preoperative plan, guiding the robotic instrument arm. As with all robotic surgeries, the doctor is in control of the robot at all times during the surgery.
“I had great outcomes with the Mako hip replacement surgeries I performed during my fellowship in New York,” said BMH orthopedic surgeon Dr. Vandit Sardana, who completed his training in 2018 at Lenox Hill Hospital in Manhattan. “Using the robot helps the surgeon place the joint components in the right position. With well-positioned hip components, there’s less likelihood of hip dislocation after the surgery.”
Beaufort Memorial physicians are also using minimally invasive “muscle-sparing” techniques, like the Direct Superior Approach, to improve hip replacement outcomes. Less trauma to the hip’s surrounding muscle and ligaments can result in less pain following surgery and a faster recovery.
“Right now, about 60 percent of my hip replacement patients go home the same day,” Sardana said. “I hope to bump it up to 90 percent using the Mako surgery system.”
Along with Jones and Sardana, Dr. Leland Stoddard and BMH orthopedic department chairman Dr. Edward Blocker will be offering Mako hip replacement surgery.
For more information on the procedure, visit BeaufortMemorial.org/Mako or call 843-522-7435.
