A 91-year-old retired dairy farmer from North Wales is back on his tractor and enjoying five mile hikes after undergoing pioneering robotic surgery.<\/p>\n
Great-grandfather Owen John Thomas, from Holyhead, Anglesey, was one of the first patients to have a knee replaced using the ROSA\u00ae Knee (RObotic Surgical Assistant) system at the private Spire Murrayfield hospital, Wirral, carried out by consultant hip and knee surgeon Mr Muthu Ganapathi, from Colwyn Bay.<\/p>\n
The hospital is the first in the Wirral and Liverpool area to offer the cutting-edge robotic technology which helps surgeons plan and perform personalised bone cuts so they can fit implants more precisely according to a patient\u2019s individual anatomy rather than following universal surgical measurements.<\/p>\n
The technique has been credited with achieving faster recovery times, less pain and a more \u2018natural\u2019 feel in the knee joint \u2013 with patients typically back on their feet within days.<\/p>\n
Mr Thomas\u2019 son, Tudor, described the surgery as \u201cmiraculous\u201d and said his dad was on his feet \u2013 walking unaided \u2013 less than 24 hours after the operation and is already back enjoying the simple life on his tractor.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt was miraculous how well he actually felt afterwards,\u201d said the 66-year-old, from Holyhead, who used to work at the Wylfa nuclear power station.<\/p>\n
\u201cHe was back on his feet straight away and hardly took any painkillers at all.<\/p>\n
\u201cHe\u2019s back doing what he was doing 10 or 20 years ago \u2013 it was absolutely marvelous and has definitely given him a new quality of life.\u201d<\/p>\n
ROSA\u00ae was initially developed for brain surgery and has been adapted for use in knee replacement procedures because it offers more precision than the human eye. Importantly, it assists the surgeon\u2019s work with data and guidance and does not conduct the surgery itself.<\/p>\n
The technology uses data about a patient\u2019s knee to provide the surgeon with detailed information about their individual anatomy to enable them to plan and perform more personalised bone cuts than traditional knee replacement surgery.<\/p>\n
During the procedure, the technology works similar to a high-tech GPS system, mapping reference points on the knee joint from a 3D digital plan which has been fed into the ROSA system.<\/p>\n
A camera and sensor provide live feedback to the surgeon via a digital display and, with the aid of a robotic guiding arm, the technology helps the surgeon to do precise bone cuts to place the implants according to their plan.<\/p>\n
One of the huge advantages of the personalised Robotic assisted technique compared to traditional knee replacements is there is little to no need for soft tissue release which limits bleeding and significantly reduces post-operative pain.<\/p>\n
Mr Ganapathi explained that while traditional knee replacements are considered a successful form of surgery, multiple studies have shown that only 80 per cent of patients report optimal outcome post-surgery compared to 95 per cent of hip replacement patients.<\/p>\n
This is probably due to traditional surgical techniques being based on universal targets of mechanical alignment which may not suit the anatomy of individual patients.<\/p>\n
\u201cRobotic-assisted technology has been around for more than a decade but previously it was quite cumbersome,\u201d explained Mr Ganapathi, who lives with his family in Colwyn Bay.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe important development now is that it allows for personalised knee replacement. Essentially, the aim of personalised alignment knee replacement is to return the knee joint close to pre-arthritic anatomy in the hope that we can reduce the proportion of dissatisfied patients.<\/p>\n
\u201cTo use a very simple analogy, it\u2019s the difference between wearing a ready-made shirt or wearing a shirt that has been stitched personally for you.<\/p>\n
\u201cTo achieve this personalisation, you need a very precise tool that doesn\u2019t rely on the human eye. That\u2019s where the robot comes in. Medical studies have shown that the robot is more accurate than manual instruments and we can cut to within a degree or even a millimeter.<\/p>\n
\u201cAlso, because we restore the knee to as close to how it was before, the need to do soft tissue release to make space for the implant is less. This means less pain and a faster recovery.\u201d<\/p>\n
Mr Thomas, who has been a widower for 15 years following the death of his wife, Mair, sought Mr Ganapathi\u2019s expertise last year after suffering a fall and losing all mobility.<\/p>\n
\u201cHe must\u2019ve been suffering with arthritis in both knees for a long time,\u201d explained Tudor.<\/p>\n
\u201cHe couldn\u2019t put any weight on the left knee yet he\u2019d always been very active all his life. Previous to the fall, he was busy doing everything around the farm, driving around on his tractor.<\/p>\n
\u201cI was with my dad when Mr Ganapathi explained the procedure. He told us he\u2019d already been using the method in his NHS work in North Wales and had found it very successful, so we said yes we\u2019d go for it.\u201d<\/p>\n
Even though he was well-acquainted with the benefits of robot-assisted knee surgery, Mr Ganapathi was still surprised at the speed of the farmer\u2019s recovery, given that he was 90 when he underwent the procedure.<\/p>\n
\u201cJohn was able to walk unaided with 24 hours \u2013 normally it takes around six weeks with traditional surgery,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s faster recovery and less pain. Some patients are going home walking unaided within 24 hours.\u201d<\/p>\n
Mr Ganapathi, 56, who completed his higher specialist orthopedic training in Wales before doing further advanced training in Montreal, Canada, had already performed more than 50 robotic assisted knee replacements using\u00a0 in North Wales before bringing the pioneering technology to Spire Murrayfield last year.<\/p>\n
\u201cI am glad that I am now able to offer this cutting-edge technology to my private patients as well\u201d, he said.<\/p>\n
He is regarded as a leading expert in the field and helps train other surgeons across the UK to perform robot-assisted knee surgery.<\/p>\n
Mr Ganapathi was already a trailblazer having been carrying out knee replacements using MRI-based 3D moulds of the patient\u2019s knee to achieve personalised outcomes since 2012. Robotic-assisted surgery represents a further advancement of the technique, allowing real-time planning and adjustments during the surgery itself.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe advantage for me is I\u2019ve been using 3D planning with 3D mould technique for many years. I have done close to a thousand 3D planned knee replacements, so I\u2019m quite used to the approach,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
\u201cBut with the robotic system you can do everything in real time. You can see the damage from arthritis and plan accordingly, even during surgery itself.\u201d<\/p>\n
Now fully healed, Mr Thomas is back to enjoying his regular walks and riding his tractor.<\/p>\n
\u201cHe\u2019s very sociable and he goes out walking to meet people and talk to people,\u201d said Tudor, who has two grown-up sons.<\/p>\n
\u201cHe\u2019ll still get on his tractor, it doesn\u2019t faze him at all, and he\u2019s very active despite just turning 91. He will go for a walk for three, four or five miles. He\u2019s still driving now and doing most activities.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe difference in him now is marvellous and it\u2019s still carried on. From my father\u2019s experience, it\u2019s been brilliant.\u201d<\/p>\n
Sean Crooks, Hospital Director at Spire Murrayfield Hospital, said: \u201cWe are thrilled to be working with this exciting technology here and improving our patients\u2019 quality of life.\u201d<\/p>\n
To find our more go to <\/strong>https:\/\/www.spirehealthcare.com\/spire-murrayfield-hospital-wirral\/patient-information\/news-and-events\/rosa-knee-robot-at-spire-murrayfield-hospital-wirral\/<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n \u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n