MINNEAPOLIS (October 28, 2020) — Allina Health’s WestHealth Surgery Center is now home to the newest surgical robot in the region — the Stryker Mako Robotic Assisted-Arm™. The Stryker robot assists surgeons performing knee and hip replacements. It has been in use since August 31. It is the only such device in use in the greater Twin Cities region.
“We are excited to have the Stryker Mako Robotic Assisted-Arm device now available for our joint replacement patients,” said Dr. Robert Tuttle, Medical Director, Allina Health Orthopedics. “The Stryker Mako Robotic Assisted-Arm is a cutting-edge surgical tool that complements our Allina Health orthopedic surgeons’ expertise, resulting in a quality one-day procedure, less pain and a quicker recovery for our patients.”
Allina Health is a leader across the region in the use of robots to assist our surgeons. The Stryker Mako Robotic Assisted-Arm device is the 13th robot in the Allina Health system and we perform more than 4800 robot assisted procedures a year.
The Stryker Mako Robotic Assisted-Arm device consists of three unique components – 3D CT-based surgery planning, AccuStop™ haptic technology to control bone and soft tissue cutting, and insightful data analytics. In clinical studies, the Mako robot demonstrated the potential for patients to experience less pain, less need for opiate pain medications, less need for inpatient physical therapy, reduction in length of hospital stay, improved knee flexion and soft tissue protection in comparison to manual techniques.
“With the Mako robot, I know more about my patients than ever before, and I’m able to cut less. For some patients, this can mean less soft tissue damage, for others, greater bone preservation,” said Dr. Bishoy Gad, Allina Health orthopedic surgeon. “Mako’s 3D CT allows me to create a personalized plan based on each patient’s unique anatomy all before entering the operating room. It’s exciting to be able to offer this transformative technology across the joint replacement service line to perform total knee, total hip and partial knee replacements.”
Allina Health is dedicated to the prevention and treatment of illness and enhancing the greater health of individuals, families and communities throughout Minnesota and western Wisconsin. A not-for-profit health care system, Allina Health cares for patients from beginning to end-of-life through its 90+ clinics, 10 hospitals / 13 campuses, 15 retail pharmacies, and many specialty care centers and specialty medical services, home care, and emergency medical transportation services.