If you have osteoarthritis in your knee, your doctor might recommend a joint replacement when your pain can't be controlled by medication any longer. The goal of a knee replacement is to reduce pain and improve mobility so you can be more active. Sometimes, this surgery is done with the help of a robotic arm. Here are some things to know about robotic-assisted knee surgery.

Your Doctor Is In Control Of The Procedure

Your doctor plans out the operation and also performs it with assistance from the robotic arm. The robotic arm is used to make more precise incisions and for improved placement of the artificial joint. You'll have a CT scan of your knee before surgery. The scan helps the doctor plan the procedure and provides a model of your joint the doctor can use to determine where to make incisions and how to perform the surgery. The information is then used to control the robotic arm so you have the best results possible from the surgery.

The Robotic Arm Makes The Surgery More Precise

A robotic arm that's controlled by a computer is more precise than a human. This allows the surgery to be personalized to your unique anatomy. The incisions may be smaller and they'll be made in the ideal locations.

The robotic arm stops if directed to make an incision that might harm nearby tissues. The end result could be that your new knee joint feels more natural and will have better alignment than if the surgery was performed without the assistance of a robotic arm.

Recovery Might Be Faster With This Surgery

A major benefit of robotic-assisted knee surgery is the faster recovery time. Because incisions are smaller and more precise, there is less damage to surrounding tissues in the knee. You might have less pain, be able to walk much sooner, and resume your usual activities much quicker after having robotic-assisted surgery. You might even have this surgery as an outpatient or have a reduced hospital stay.

Robotic Surgery Improves Knee Alignment

The long-term success of a knee replacement surgery depends on the alignment of the new joint. A robotic arm is able to make straight cuts in bone so there is improved joint alignment.

The surgeon is able to get feedback on the joint alignment in real-time thanks to the robotic-assisted computerized system, and this further increases the accuracy of aligning and balancing the knee so the joint replacement will last for a long time and feel more like a natural knee joint when you walk.