A U G U S T 2 0 1 6 O U T P A T I E N TS U R G E R Y. N E T 3 7
patient-specific implants and cutting jigs perform better than conventional sur-
gery, they can reduce blood loss and minimize the amount of bone removed,
which ultimately reduces post-op pain and improves outcomes, says Dr.
Levengood.
• Robotic assistance. Robotic-assisted unicompartmental knee replacement is
another option to help boost a surgeon's accuracy. Surgeons use a handheld navi-
gational device that shows a 3D intraoperative map of the patient's anatomy. This
map lets the surgeon know exactly where he needs to make cuts to precisely fit
the uni implant, says Dr. Della Valle. The goal with robotic-assisted systems is bet-
ter post-op joint alignment, although studies haven't proven that this translates to
improved patient outcomes. "Can you get a better cut with a robot? Probably," says
Dr. Levengood. "Does it matter? Probably not. We're talking micrometers."
While novice surgeons may benefit from the increased accuracy, robotic sys-
tems may slow experienced surgeons down. "The problem with robots is that
they're cumbersome, they're expensive and we don't yet know about the long-
• OUTPATIENT OPTION An increasing number of surgeons who perform partial knee replacements want to do them in the
ambulatory setting.
Pamela
Bevelhymer,
RN,
BSN
