Bidwill Trust Hospital in Timaru was the first in the South Island to install a new VELYS™ orthopaedic robot that has been described as near miraculous in terms of the difference it makes for patients undergoing knee replacement surgery.
The Robotic-Assisted Solution was developed by DePuy Synthes, the orthopaedics company of Johnson & Johnson.
Bidwill General Manager Tina Rogers says the hospital was pleased to acquire the robot for use in the hospital’s theatres as part of the governing board’s strategy of equipping specialists with state-of-the art technology, and giving patients the best possible outcomes.
Orthopaedic Surgeons Mark Cvitanich, Dave Templeton, Sean van Heerden and Frank Wurmitzer say the robot is making a big difference to the early outcomes of knee replacement surgeries. While surgeons are fully in control of the process, the robotic guided system provides considerable advantages for the patient.
“Every knee is different,” they say, “and the beauty of this robot system is that it allows us to individualise knee joint replacement to match the unique bony anatomy and soft tissue envelope of each patient’s knee. It also allows us to make very precise, accurate bony cuts. This results in far better outcomes for the patient including less pain, less time in hospital and faster recovery.”
As far as Temuka man Mylen Hamilton is concerned, the new knee replacement surgical robot is near miraculous. A Timaru police officer, Hamilton has had two knee replacement surgeries, the right knee using traditional procedures and, more recently, the left knee with the robot-assisted procedure. He says the difference was like “night and day.”
While he has had excellent results from both knee surgeries, the robot-assisted procedure resulted in far less swelling, and a marked reduction in pain. He was also mobile much more quickly.
“I walked out of hospital with crutches because they said that was procedure, but I tossed them into a corner when I got home and that’s where they stayed. With the first operation on the right knee, I had pain at night with trouble sleeping for more than a week. With the new robot-assisted left knee, I slept through the night my first day back at home.”
Hamilton says that both knees are now very good.
“I can run, jump, exercise . . . whatever, it’s all good.’’
Rogers says the VELYS™ Robotic-Assisted Solution is available to all of the orthopaedic specialists who use Bidwill’s operating theatres through their private practices.
“Every year, Bidwill specialists perform more than 150 knee replacement surgeries for patients, which means the robotic-assisted solution will be in high demand,’’ she says.