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Hackensack Meridian Health Hackensack University Medical Center performed total knee-replacement surgery utilizing the Zimmer Biomet’s Knee Robot called the Robotic Surgical Assistant or ROSA.

In a statement HUMC said that it is the first hospital in New Jersey and the first in the northeastern United States to use the technology and is one of three centers in the country utilizing it.

Dr. Harlan Levine and Dr. Gregg Klein, orthopedic surgeons at HUMC are two of the developers of ROSA. On April 29 and 30, Levine and Klein successfully performed New Jersey’s first cases of robotic-assisted total knee arthroplasty using the Zimmer Biomet ROSA Knee robot. A 60-year-old patient suffered from osteoarthritis in both knees. A few years ago, the patient’s right knee was replaced. In the recent procedure, Levine used the ROSA Knee Robot to replace the left knee.

“We are honored to be the first center in New Jersey and the tri-state area to utilize this state-of-the-art technology,” said Levine. “This is a very powerful tool which helps us to ensure that the areas where we make certain bone cuts is perfectly precise so that the implants are placed in just the right position to optimize the patient’s total knee replacement.”

“There are some very unique features to this technology, which offer a real advantage for patients in providing a more precise total knee replacement,” said Klein. “This device does not require the use of a CT scan, rather regular X-rays can be used to create a three dimensional model of the patient’s knee. The robot provides a more personalized implant placement, to produce a more natural feeling knee and may even lessen the chance of additional surgery. This may also lead to a quicker and easier recovery.”

“Surgeons at Hackensack University Medical Center are among the first of only a dozen surgeons in the world to use ROSA Knee,” said Dr. Michael Kelly, chair of the Department of Orthopedic Surgery at Hackensack University Medical Center. “This technology is expected to revolutionize the treatment of patients suffering from degenerative knee diseases such as osteoarthritis, the most common form of arthritis,” said Kelly.

Zimmer Biomet’s new robotic knee system has been developed to assist surgeons in optimizing their accuracy and efficiency when planning and performing total knee replacement procedures.  The technology allows a personalized surgical plan to be formulated by thoroughly reviewing each patient’s anatomy prior to surgery. Based on 2D pre-operative X-rays, a very accurate 3D virtual image of the knee is produced and loaded into the computer. At the start of surgery, the surgeon is able to assess the status of the bones and soft tissues of the knee through the robotic interface. The surgeon then utilizes the program’s sophisticated software to formulate a precise surgical plan which, with guidance from the robotic arm, can be confidently and accurately executed during the procedure.

A total knee replacement is usually considered when the surfaces on both sides of the bones, as well as the underside of the patella, are significantly damaged. In total knee replacement surgery, the surface of the thighbone (femur) is replaced with a contoured metal component designed to fit the curve of a patient’s bone. The surface of the shinbone (tibia) is typically replaced with a flat metal component and a smooth plastic component that serves as cartilage. The undersurface of the kneecap may also be replaced with an implant made of plastic or a combination of metal and plastic.