Healthier knees and hips live in northeast Pennsylvania
Living with chronic joint pain can dominate your every waking moment and take away your independence. If you suffer from advanced stages of osteoarthritis or degenerative knee or hip problems, a Mako® robotic-arm–assisted joint replacement could be your saving grace. Mako is a robotic surgical arm that helps perform partial knee, total knee and total hip replacements. Geisinger is the sole provider of Mako joint replacement surgery in the region, combining highly advanced surgical technology with the orthopaedic care you trust. This minimally invasive surgery relieves pain, restores mobility and can help you return to an active lifestyle faster.
Causes of your knee or hip pain Osteoarthritis, also called OA, is a disease that causes the breakdown of cartilage cushioning the joints. OA was long believed to be just “wear and tear” on the joints occurring more often in those over 65. Studies have confirmed it is actually a disease marked by inflammation and deterioration. OA is the most common reason patients seek out a knee or hip replacement. Other reasons include rheumatoid arthritis, prior injury, overuse or degeneration.
Mako makes knees feel like new Geisinger offers two different Mako knee replacement options: partial and total. Partial knee replacement helps relieve arthritis in one or two of the three compartments that make up your knee joint. By selectively targeting the part of your knee that has been damaged by OA, your surgeon can replace only the diseased area while sparing the healthy bone and ligaments surrounding it.
Total knee replacement takes place when a diseased or damaged knee joint is completely replaced with an artificial joint called an implant. The implant consists of high-grade metal and plastic components that fuse to the resurfaced bone, and is designed to move like a healthy human joint. Your orthopaedic surgeon will select the implant design best suited to you, based on your lifestyle habits and how severely your joint has deteriorated.
Mako makes hips feel like new Total hip replacement involves removing damaged bone and cartilage around the hip, and replacing them with ball-andsocket implants designed to replicate the human hip joint. The prosthetic joint, which features a combination of highgrade metal and plastic components, is attached to your bone and padded to minimize friction.
Five things to know about Mako joint replacement Who can get Mako? If you’ve been suffering from knee and/or hip pain due to arthritis and haven’t had success with nonsurgical treatments, you might be a good candidate for a joint replacement. Partial knee, total knee or total hip replacement robotic-arm– assisted surgery relieves pain, restores mobility and can help you return to an active lifestyle faster. How does Mako work? Before surgery, your surgeon will use a CT scan to create a 3-D virtual model of your joint and its unique anatomy. This virtual model is programmed into the Mako system software and used to help customize your personalized surgery plan. During surgery, your surgeon will use the Mako system to assist based on your customized plan. Using the predefined area set by your scan, he or she will guide the robotic arm to remove diseased bone and cartilage, then insert a total or partial knee implant. The Mako system helps your surgeon stay inside
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the planned boundaries, providing 99 percent accuracy and alignment of your new joint. Who performs Mako surgery? Your surgery will be performed by a highly trained Geisinger orthopaedic surgeon. A robotic arm does not perform your surgery, nor can it make decisions on its own or move without the surgeon’s guidance.
Meet your Mako-certified orthopaedic team at Geisinger South Wilkes-Barre:
What are the benefits of Mako surgery? Mako procedures are less invasive than conventional joint replacement surgeries, helping to minimize scarring and leading to a faster recovery. Mako provides more accurate placement and better alignment of your new joint. This helps improve function and longevity, reducing the potential need for future surgeries, and allowing patients to choose this life-changing option at a younger age. Which Geisinger locations offer Mako? Geisinger orthopaedic surgeons perform Mako roboticarm–assisted surgeries at Geisinger South WilkesBarre* and Geisinger Shamokin Area Community Hospital.** Each location features a dedicated hospital unit and a team of highly skilled staff to help patients recover fully and successfully.
David Kolessar, MD Orthopaedic Surgeon
James Murphy, MD Orthopaedic Surgeon
Michael Sobieraj, MD Orthopaedic Surgeon
*a campus of Geisinger Wyoming Valley Medical Center **a campus of Geisinger Medical Center
Call 800-275-6401 to schedule an appointment near you. Geisinger South Wilkes-Barre 25 Church St. Wilkes-Barre, PA 18765
geisinger.org
279-916-7/18-SCAM/BF