An innovative approach to orthopedic surgery using robots has been introduced by Greek doctors. The new technology is provided by the U.S. MAKO corporation, which has so far only been used in three European countries, including Greece.
On the first day of its introduction, the new technique was successfully used to carry out complex knee surgery on two patients, both of whom were suffering from osteoarthritis. They are both expected to leave hospital tomorrow and are unlikely to need further medical support.
Over the last decade, these technologies have developed into valuable tools for demanding surgical procedures in which accuracy is critical. Orthopedic surgery is one of the areas in which they offer significant benefits over more traditional surgical techniques.
The robot which is called MAKO has been design in the U.S. It is considered unique and Greece is one of only three countries in Europe — along with Germany and Italy — to provide patients with this kind of treatment. With the robot’s assistance, surgeons carry out high precision knee or hip procedures. This type of surgery allows joints to be treated whereas before they would have required replacement at a much earlier stage than is now the case. In addition, the use of robot assisted surgery helps to limit damage to surrounding tissue, resulting in less blood loss and fewer complications, allowing the patient to recover more quickly.
