Robot-Assisted Partial Knee Replacement Surgery Being Performed at Northern Westchester Hospital

Precision Knee Surgery Performed with Smaller Incisions, Less Pain, and a Rapid Recovery

Northern Westchester Hospital announced today that Victor Khabie, MD, FAAOS, FACS, Co-Chief of Orthopedic Surgery and Director of Sports Medicine at the Orthopedic and Spine Institute, performed the first NAVIO robot-assisted partial knee replacement in New York State at NWH. This leading-edge technology incorporates image-guided navigation with the precision of robotics, enabling surgeons to see and treat only the damaged portion of the knee and leaving the healthy bone in place. A highly accomplished team of surgeons at NWH have been trained to perform this procedure, including Evan H. Karas, MD, FAAOS; Victor Khabie, MD, FAAOS, FACS; Eric L. Grossman, MD, FAAOS; Stuart T. Styles, MD, FAAOS; David J. Yasgur, MD, FAAOS; Jeffrey H. Yormak, M.D., F.A.A.O.S.

Unlike a total knee replacement, this muscle and ligament sparing approach utilizes an incision that is one-third the size, which saves healthy bone, ligaments and tissues. The result is a surgery that is less painful, enables patients to recover faster as compared to a complete knee replacement, and return to a more active lifestyle.

A partial knee replacement also fills a gap in treatment options for patients with knee pain. When knee pain begins, patients often self-treat with over-the-counter medications.  When this no longer works, physical therapy, pain management injections, and even synovial fluid replacement are all used.  Unfortunately, when these treatments become ineffective, the only other option available has been a total knee replacement.

“A partial knee replacement provides a very promising option for patients. Total knee replacements are incredibly invasive procedures, removing bone, tissue, and severing muscle to create room for the implant. With a partial knee replacement, the incisions are much smaller and much less traumatic for patients. The procedure takes less time, is less painful, and provides patients with a shorter recovery time. Within only a few weeks of surgery, many patients are back to skiing, swimming, golfing, and even playing tennis,” stated Dr. Khabie.

The partial knee implant can provide patients, suffering with advanced pain from arthritis, another 10 or 15 years of an active lifestyle. As time and use wear on, any of the implanted pieces could be replaced, therefore increasing the life of the partial knee replacement.

The hand-held robotics and built-in image guidance navigation provide the surgeons with a level of precision previously unavailable. The Navio surgical system features proprietary robot-assisted technology that integrates handheld intelligent instruments with an intuitive CT-free registration and patient-specific planning process. The Navio unicondylar and patellofemoral knee replacement software guide the surgeon in creating implant plans that localize components and balance soft-tissue. The technology translates that information into a virtual surgical plan that removes the need for standard mechanical cutting guides and jigs. The handheld instrumentation uses multiple control modes to help the surgeon very precisely prepare the bone for implantation.