Robotic-Assistance Helps North Oaks Orthopaedic Surgeons Improve Patient Outcomes

Drs. Vince Lands, Robert McAfee and Patrick Barousse are utilizing innovative robotic technology to assist them in the performance of total knee replacements for their patients. The physicians practice with North Oaks Orthopaedic Specialty Center in Hammond and Livingston. To learn more or schedule a consultation, click here or call North Oaks Orthopaedic Specialty Center at (985) 230-BONE [2663].

Lands, McAfee and Barousse have been deploying the ROSA® system by Zimmer Biomet Solutions to assist them in performing total knee replacements at North Oaks Medical Center in Hammond. ROSA stands for Robotic Surgical Assistant, and Lands, McAfee and Barousse are ROSA® Knee-certified.

“The entire North Oaks Orthopaedic Specialty Center family is excited to introduce ROSA® Knee technology to our community,” asserts Lands. “With ROSA®, we’re performing knee replacements as a same day surgery using the latest technology and advances in medicine to achieve high reliability outcomes with less pain and quicker recoveries for our patients.”

“We remain in complete control during the procedure just as we would performing a traditional knee replacement,” explains McAfee. “It’s like a Global Positioning System (GPS), guiding us to the best position for the implant and assisting with bone resections to achieve the most precise fit.”

“With ROSA® Knee, we’re able to personalize our surgical approach to precisely place and align the knee implant to account for each patient’s unique anatomy,” explains Barousse.

ROSA® Knee utilizes a camera and optical trackers attached to the leg during surgery to know and communicate to the surgeon exactly where the patient’s knee is in space at all times. If the leg moves even a fraction of an inch, the robot can tell and adjusts accordingly to ensure the surgeon’s plan is executed as intended. The data provided by ROSA® Knee assists with complex decision-making and enables surgeons to use computer and software technology to control and move surgical instruments, allowing for greater precision and flexibility during procedures.

Total joint replacement is one of the most frequently performed elective surgical procedures in the U.S., according to the National Institutes of Health. Specific to knee replacements, osteoarthritis is often the driving factor. The most common form of arthritis, it is caused by years of constant motion and pressure in the joints that erodes joint cartilage and bone. As the wear and tear progresses, joint pain and difficulty in moving increase. Once conservative options have been exhausted and fail to provide relief, orthopedic surgeons may recommend total knee replacement.