Mako® Robotic Joint Replacement Surgery in New Braunfels

Treating Joint Pain With Minimally Invasive Robotic-Arm Assisted Surgery

A painful joint can make your movement limited, making living an active life difficult. At Resolute Baptist Hospital, we strive to get you back to your feet as soon as possible using innovative solutions such as our Mako robotic arm-assisted joint surgery. This is a minimally invasive procedure that enables surgeons to check the condition of a joint in detail and plan treatment based on the patient’s condition and needs.

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What is Joint Replacement Surgery?

Joint replacement surgery is the removal of damaged or diseased parts of a joint to be replaced with new, artificial components, prostheses or implants. Most joint replacement surgeries are performed on the hips and knees, although other joints such as the ankles, elbows, fingers and shoulders can be replaced.

If you’ve already tried different treatment options to reduce pain, such as medications and physical therapy, to no avail, your doctor may recommend joint replacement surgery.

What is Robotic Surgery?

Robotic surgery is a method wherein the surgeon uses a computer to control small surgical tools attached to a robotic arm.

How Does Robotic Surgery Work?

In robotic joint surgery, the surgeon makes small incisions on the patient’s body to insert surgical instruments. The surgeon uses an endoscope to magnify the surgery site during surgery. The robot follows the surgeon’s hand movements as he or she performs the robotic joint replacement surgery.

What is Robotic Knee Replacement Surgery?

Robotic knee surgery is an advanced surgical procedure that allows surgeons to customize a patient’s surgery plan and define the surgery area. At Resolute Baptist Hospital, we have the Mako robotic system technology to help our orthopedic surgeons in New Braunfels perform minimally invasive joint replacement surgery with improved positioning of implant components.

What is the Mako Robotic System?

The Mako robotic system is a technology that helps our orthopedic surgeons in New Braunfels at Resolute Baptist Hospital to perform joint replacement surgery with more accurate implant placement than conventional arthroplasty surgical techniques. Some studies have shown less post-surgery pain, faster recovery and lower dislocation risk with robotic-arm assisted surgery.

The surgeon-controlled Mako robotic platform for the hip and knee is just one of the ways that show Resolute Baptist Hospital’s commitment to advanced technology and enhanced patient experiences and outcomes.

How Does the Mako Robotic System Help in Joint Replacement?

The Mako robotic system does not perform the surgery. It has a robotic arm that orthopedic doctors use to guide and perform surgeries within the predefined area. It helps surgeons fit implants on the joint parts that need to be replaced. This advanced technology also allows your surgeon to adjust the surgical plan as needed during the operation.

How Long Will the Artificial Joint Last?

Artificial joints may last up to 25 years. However, it’s good to note that performance and lifespan can vary per person, depending on your lifestyle. It may also be affected by wear and tear caused by movements. Younger patients may need to have their artificial joints revised at some point in their lifetime.

Conditions and Injuries that May Need a Joint Replacement Surgery

If you have the following conditions and injuries, your orthopedic doctor may recommend joint replacement surgery:

Osteoarthritis happens when the cartilage within a joint starts to break down, and the underlying bones begin to change, leading to pain, swelling and stiffness.
Bone tumors are formed when the cells in a bone divide and develop a lump or mass of abnormal tissue.
Osteonecrosis is a bone disease that may cause the death of bone tissues and the joints that surround the bone to collapse.
Rheumatoid arthritis is an autoimmune disease that may cause joint pain, damage and swelling.
Non-inflammatory or inflammatory degenerative joint disease
Loss of joint cartilage

Questions to Ask Your Doctor Before Joint Replacement Surgery

Surgeries can be significant life events, so it’s crucial to prepare yourself physically, mentally, financially and emotionally. Asking the following questions to your doctor or the hospital staff can help you plan your appointment:

What documents or items do I need to prepare before being admitted to the hospital?
What type of anesthesia will I receive?
What type of implants or prosthetics will the surgeon use?
Will this be covered by my health insurance?
How long will the surgery take?
How long will I stay in the hospital?
How long will my recovery take?
How can I manage pain after surgery?

How to Prepare for a Joint Replacement Surgery

Here are some of the things you may need to do to prepare for your minimally invasive joint replacement surgery:

Try to lose weight by watching your food intake or engaging in light exercises if you are obese or overweight. Carrying extra weight could put additional stress on your joints.
Strengthen your upper body. This will be most beneficial if you are advised to use crutches or a walker after the surgery.
Don’t smoke. Smoking may slow down your recovery and may increase your risk for infection.
Don’t drink alcohol at least 48 hours before surgery.
Consider modifying your home to make your life more comfortable and some of your items more accessible after surgery. You may want to hire someone to install assistive items, such as a shower bench, handrails, etc.
Remove items that may cause you to trip or fall, such as electrical cords and area rugs.

What Happens After the Joint Replacement Surgery?

After the procedure, your doctor may require you to stay in the hospital for a few days depending on age, comorbidities or any condition related to the affected joint. Your doctor will also be the one who will give the green light when it is safe for you to go home. If you feel pain or initial discomfort in the replaced joint, don’t panic. This is normal as your body begins recovering, and your muscles are still weak from inactivity.

After the surgery, you may experience pain for up to several weeks, while swelling may last for two to three weeks. It may persist for up to three to six months. Bruising may also occur one to two weeks after the surgery.

Choose Robotic Joint Replacement Surgery in Resolute Health

Whether it’s for robotic knee replacement or hip replacement surgery, Resolute Baptist Hospital uses advanced technology to give you more treatment options that can help you get back the life you deserve sooner than you thought.

Your orthopedic doctor may advise you to undergo specific tests, such as computed tomography (CT) scan, magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), provocative arthrography, pain mapping or other tests to determine if this is the right treatment option for you. Call 830-500-6900 to schedule an appointment with one of our doctors.

Find an Orthopedic Specialist

If you need a hip, knee or other joint replacement, count on our experts and technology. Request to see one of our specialists to get a second opinion, or a really good first one.

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Scoliosis Information for Parents

Your spine has natural curves that round the shoulders and make the lower back curve slightly inward. Approximately two to three percent of people also have side-to-side spinal curves that make the spine look more like an “s” or “c” rather than an “l”. This condition is called scoliosis.

The most common form of scoliosis is called idiopathic scoliosis. It has no known cause, but is linked to heredity since it tends to run in families. Girls are more likely than boys to develop this type of spinal curvature. Other kinds of scoliosis include congenital scoliosis, which is present at birth, and neuromuscular scoliosis, which is caused by nervous system problems that affect the muscles, such as cerebral palsy, muscular dystrophy, or spina bifida.

Signs or Symptoms of Scoliosis

Scoliosis can develop in infancy or early childhood. However, signs of scoliosis usually start to appear primarily in children between the ages of 10 and 15, or during the growth spurt that happens right before puberty. Symptoms of the condition may include:

Uneven hips or shoulders
Head is not centered directly above the pelvis
Spine curving more to one side
Ribs that are pushed out
Rib cages are at different heights
One shoulder blade that looks more prominent compared to the other
The entire body leans to one side
Backache or lower back pain

Severe scoliosis can cause heart and lung problems due to pressure from the rib cage that makes it more difficult to breathe and harder for the heart to pump.

Diagnosis and Treatment for Scoliosis

Scoliosis is diagnosed following a medical history review, physical exam, and X-ray of the spine. Treatment for the condition will depend on:

The cause of scoliosis
Where the curve occurs on the spine
Degree of spine curvature
If the child’s body is still growing

Most cases of scoliosis do not require treatment. Regular checkups are recommended, however, to make sure the curve does not become larger.

A measurement of the degree of spinal curvature, called the Cobb angle, may be used to help the doctor determine what kind of treatment is necessary. In general, a curve of 10 to 15 degrees requires only regular checkups; curvature of 20 to 40 degrees suggests the need for a back brace; angles of 40 to 50 degrees may require surgery.

For optimal effectiveness, children who need to wear a back brace may need to do so for 16 to 23 hours every day until they stop growing. While experts disagree as to whether braces are truly effective, large studies indicate that when they are used with full compliance, they successfully stop curve progression in about 80 percent of children with scoliosis.

Surgery may be recommended when a child has a severe curve (45-50 degrees and higher). This procedure, called spinal fusion, involves inserting metal rods to correct the spine and hold it in place until the bones grow together. For more information about scoliosis, talk with your doctor or visit the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons website at https://orthoinfo.aaos.org.