How does the Mako robot assist in hip surgery?

Many people ask me how the Mako robot assists surgeons in hip replacements. They want to be reassured that the surgeon is still leading the operation. The Mako robot is there to support the surgeon, providing me with assistance in terms of the improved accuracy that it can give.  By reproducing your own natural anatomy, it can lead to improved results in terms of the performance of your own joints and reduced risks such as dislocation.
  
The Mako robot isn’t just a robot but a whole system which we use once we have committed to joint replacement surgery. It starts with a CT scan. This is a 3D scan of your pelvis and your lower legs, which is used by the robot to accurately assess your anatomy and how it has been affected by the arthritis. This is then put into the robotic system and the robot is used as a very accurate 3D eye, which can see not only where the pelvis is but also where a probe is so that I can then map out the internal anatomy of your hip. This then allows very accurate placement of both the milling tools which are used to create the space for the hip replacement but also for the accurate positioning of the implants. 
 


 

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