Orthopaedic Robot a Queensland public hospital first!
The Common Good

Orthopaedic Robot a Queensland public hospital first!

A state-of-the-art robotic arm is helping orthopaedic surgeons deliver more accurate surgeries, with reduced pain and faster recovery for patients at Brisbane’s The Prince Charles Hospital (TPCH).

Thanks to $2 million in funding from The Prince Charles Hospital Foundation, TPCH will be the first hospital in Queensland where Orthopaedic surgeons will be able to use this technology to public patients.

This contribution is the Foundation’s single largest in its 32-year charity history, which is in addition to the $5 million plus that it makes annually to health and medical innovation conducted at TPCH.

“The Foundation’s continuing support for areas such as joint disease, including arthritis, is only possible through the remarkable generosity of everyday people—the mums and dads, individuals and businesses who donate to the Foundation, and share its passion for making the world better,” Foundation CEO, Michael Hornby said.

“It is because of the community that we are able to continue to support research initiatives and new equipment to improve patient outcomes and their experiences.”

A critical component of overall health and well-being is to keep moving and to stay active for longer–and through this technology, there are likely to be fewer complications and faster recoveries, which are important steps in combating chronic disease and improving quality of life.

Partial knee replacement surgeries using this robotic technology can be two to three times more accurate than manual procedures. The robot can selectively target only the part of the joint damaged by osteoarthritis, while helping to spare the surrounding healthy tissue giving patients better results and allowing some to go home as early as the same day as their surgery.

In larger surgeries such as total knee and hip replacements, it can be incredibly challenging even for the most experienced surgeons to position and orientate with total accuracy.

With this new technology, surgeons can use 3D software to design a perfectly-fitting implant and plan its placement before even entering the operating room.

This will provide patients with the most personalised surgical experience possible, based on their specific diagnosis and anatomy. Watch the 9News Brisbane exclusive here.

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Published: June 27, 2019

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