The Sun /Sunday, January 20, 2013 www.sunnewspapers.net Page 7

Knee surgery doesn’t have to take months out of your life anymore. A fairly new technique, robotic partial knee resurfacing, has changed the way countless knee surgeries are performed.

Osteoarthritis is often the culprit where knee pain in involved. Over time, the lining of the knee joint’s car-tilage wears away and the bones begin to rub together, causing pain and swelling. Trauma or direct injury to the knee can also cause osteoarthritis.

But before surgery is even con-sidered, the patient must undergo alternative, nonsurgical treatment, according to Dr. Ronald M. Constine, Advanced Orthopedic Center, Port Charlotte.

“First we exhaust nonoperative treatments, including anti-inflamma-tory medications, steroid and nonste-roid injections, visco gel injections, physical therapy or bracing,” Constine said. “Only if those measures fail would we consider surgery.”

There are times when the tradi-tional, total knee replacement is not necessary, and a partial resurfacing is indicated instead. “The indicator for this surgery is isolated arthritis in either the inside (medial), outside (lateral), or front (patellar) of the knee,” Constine said. He prefers robotic surgery for this procedure, calling it more precise, providing better implant placement. The only implant approved for use in robotic arm assisted partial knee resurfacing is manufactured by MAKO Surgical Corp.

The MAKOplasty procedure allows a surgeon to precisely resurface only the arthritic portion of the knee.

MAKOplasty usually requires only a four-to-six inch incision of the knee, as opposed to other more invasive surgeries, with small incisions in both the femur (thigh bone) and tibia (shin). Much of the patient’s own natural bone and tissue is preserved and often results in a more

natural feeling knee. Since healthy bone is preserved, according to the manufacturer, patients who undergo MAKOplasty partial knee procedures may still be a candidate for a full-knee replacement procedure later in life, if necessary.

The surgery is not for everyone. “Only 10 to 15 percent of patients with arthritis of the knee are candidates for MAKOplasty, but their outcomes have all been excellent,” Constine said.

Recovery is quicker, beginning with an overnight hospital stay as com-pared to the several nights spent by patients who have a full-knee replace-ment. General surgical health risks, such as the chance of blood clots, are fewer with the MAKOplasty. And total recovery time is only about three to four weeks, rather than the several months experienced by total knee replacement patients.

Constine cautions patients, how-ever, that every case is different. “We (surgeons) make the final determina-tion of whether you need surgery and if you do, what type is required.”

Robotic knee surgery offers faster healing timeBy PATRICIA GARLAUSKY HORWELL

Feeling Fit Correspondent

ARTHRITIS

SIGNS OF OSTEOARTHRITIS•Generally, the pain associated with arthritis develops gradually, although sudden onset is also possible.•The joint may become stiff and swollen, making it difficult to bend or straighten the knee.•Pain and swelling are worse in the morning or after a period of inactivity. Pain may also increase after activities such as walking, climbing stairs or kneeling.•The pain may often cause a feeling of weakness in the knee, resulting in a “locking” or “buckling.”•Many people report that changes in the weather also affect the degree of pain from arthritis.Source: American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons (http://orthoinfo.aaos.org/topic.cfm?topic=a00212)

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