First knee Replacement Operation Carried Out with the Only Robotic Arm of its Kind in the Caribbean and Central American Region
Carolina, Puerto Rico — The Puerto Rico Orthopedic Center of the UPR-Dr. Federico Trilla Hospital in Carolina made history last Monday by performing the first knee replacement operation with Mako SmartRobotics robotic technology. The robot (unique to Puerto Rico, the Caribbean, and the Central America region) is used to perform knee and hip replacement surgeries. The technology benefits the patient by facilitating a faster recovery.
“I am very proud and honored to be able to undertake this historic intervention, the first in Puerto Rico and the Caribbean, using the MAKO robot. This technology allows us to develop a personalized pre-surgical plan. The robot records the CT Scan information and the patient’s anatomy; the surgeon analyzes it and makes the necessary adjustments. The robotic arm then makes the cuts, guided by the surgeon’s hands. According to the patients ‘ needs, this technology helps us achieve a unique replacement surgery. This contributes to the patient having a faster recovery compared to traditional techniques or technologies,” said Dr. Antonio Otero López, director of the Orthopedics Program at the School of Medicine.
Another advantage of robotic surgery is that there is minor dissection and release of soft tissue, which gives the patient the opportunity for a quicker and less painful recovery. According to the specialist, this should correlate to greater patient satisfaction with a shorter hospital stay and more effective and successful rehabilitation.
Meanwhile, UPR-Dr. Federico Trilla hospital executive director Yelitza Sánchez congratulated the exceptional surgical team in charge of the surgery.
“This team is an example of the excellent operating room staff of our hospital. Now our Puerto Rico Orthopedic Center strengthens its offering with this million-dollar technology, unique in Puerto Rico and the Caribbean, operated by the best, one hundred percent Board Certified medical faculty trained in the use of this advanced equipment. Thus we begin a new era within our institution and the Orthopedics program of the Medical Sciences Campus. The use of this technology allows us to offer our patients a shorter stay and a faster recovery while improving their quality of life, allowing them to return quicker to their daily activities,” she said.
According to Dr. Richard Valentín Blasini, a specialist in hip and knee replacement at the Hospital UPR-Dr. Federico Trilla, “this technology comes to revolutionize the treatment for patients with knee and hip discomfort since the precision it offers contributes to a better fit for the implant. In this way, it is possible to obtain better results for our patients.”
Those interested in obtaining more information about this technology and its advantages for performing knee or hip replacement surgery can contact the Puerto Rico Orthopedic Center of the UPR-Dr. Federico Trilla at 787-625-1015 to coordinate an appointment.
Positive Impact for UPR Orthopedic Residents
The Mako SmartRobotics robotic technology also represents benefits for the residents of the Orthopedics Program of the Medical Sciences Campus of the University of Puerto Rico since it will allow them to train in its operation.
“As a hospital academy, the administration and the medical faculty that have been trained in the use of this technology are committed to training future generations of orthopedists in robotic surgery and advanced technology, without the need for them to leave Puerto Rico,” said Sánchez.
Finally, Dr. Carlos Fernández Sifre, medical director of the UPR-Dr. Federico Trilla Hospital, said “we are the first hospital in Puerto Rico that has this technology. I feel very proud to be the medical director of the first hospital institution on the island that can provide this great benefit for our patients.”
