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528 Chama, N.E., Albuquerque, NM 87108 http://www.cbass.com |
From The Desk Of Clarence Bass
By Clarence and Carol Bass
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Robotic Hip Replacement
If I had another hip to be replaced or repaired - or a bad knee - a robot might assist the surgeon.
In 1992 the world's first robotic hip replacement was done in California using the posterior hip replacement technique which was the standard surgical route at that time. Most robotic systems continued to use this approach until 2019 when robotic-assisted anterior approach was documented.
In 2006 I went to Houston to have my first hip replaced by the anterior (frontal) approach with a highly recommended Texas surgeon who had me on my feet the day after my replacement. No robots were used. There were no surgeons doing the anterior approach surgery in Albuquerque at that time, let alone a robotic-assisted anterior approach, but my research indicated that the anterior approach was "fast-track" recovery, minimally invasive, and muscle sparing.
Robotic hip replacement is now offered at many major hospitals and orthopedic centers in the U.S. and worldwide in Europe, Asia and the Middle East. Our local Lovelace Medical Center, the first to offer it in Albuquerque, performs 600 robotic joint replacements (hip and knee) annually.
Today, robotic hip arthroplasty is considered one of the most significant innovations in orthopedic surgery, combining precision with minimally invasive techniques.
Robotic Hip Revision
In another advancement, the January 2026 Cleveland Clinic Arthritis Adviser includes a front page article on robots assisting surgeons with hip revisions. This is a surgery required because of wear and tear, injury damage, or an infection to a hip joint that has been replaced. As the newsletter relates, in the summer of 2025 the first FDA-approved robot for hip revisions assisted a Cleveland Clinic surgeon with a hip revision procedure.
Matthew Deren, M.D., who has performed revisions with robotic assistance says that this is "a significant advancement that offers unparalleled pre-operative planning and intraoperative precision." Advancements in equipment and software no longer "require exploring the joint in surgery and then figuring out how to fix it."
"The primary advantage is for the socket side of the hip with the ball side on the femur still prepared manually."
As with all new techniques, this technology requires training surgeons to use the new systems.
There are controversies surrounding the technology: the extra cost of robotic assistance, and the radiation exposure from the pre-operative CT scan. The Future of Robots
Summing up, Dr. Deren says that use of robotic joint replacements has grown significantly in just the last five years, indicating "a rapid acceptance and integration of this technology into the standard of care." Precision, predictability, reduced risk of complications and faster recovery are highlighted as reasons that this technology will continue to have wider adoption.
PS: While this is out of my normal bailiwick, I found it interesting and thought I would pass it on to my readers. Especially those who may be thinking about getting their hip or knee replaced or repaired.
Photo by John Balik
January 1, 2025
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