Questions on Mako hip surgery answered.

 
How does the Mako Hip work?
Prior to surgery, a CT scan of your hip joint is taken to generate a 3D virtual model of your unique anatomy. The 3D model allows your surgeon to know more about your joint and see things they can’t typically see with an X-ray alone. This additional information helps your doctor determine the desired size, placement and positioning of your implant. 
In the operating room, your surgeon guides Mako’s robotic arm to remove the arthritic bone and cartilage from the hip. Mako’s AccuStop ™ haptic technology provides tactile resistance that guides  your surgeon to accurately cut what’s defined in your surgical plan to help protect your healthy bone.1,2  As your surgeon prepares to place the implant into its final position, the robotic arm guides the implant at the desired angle defined in the surgical plan. This helps ensure placement and alignment of the implant are performed according to your plan. 
Throughout your procedure, Mako SmartRobotics™ provides real-time data to your surgeon. This allows them to continuously assess the movement and tension of your new joint and adjust the surgical plan if desired. 

When can I get back to normal activities? 
Most people who undergo hip replacement surgery and participate in a physical therapy regimen prescribed by their doctor return to their light day-to-day activities within three to six weeks of surgery, but everyone is different. We will help determine a plan best suited for your recovery and your lifestyle. 

What activities will I be able to do after surgery? 
Realistic physical activities following hip replacement surgery include walking, swimming, golfing, driving, light hiking, biking, and other low-impact sports.

​Does the Mako Robotic-Arm actually perform the surgery? 
No, surgery is performed by your orthopaedic surgeon, who uses the surgeon-controlled robotic-arm system to pre-plan the surgery and to position the implant. The robotic arm does not perform the surgery nor can it make decisions on its own or move in any way without the surgeon guiding it. The Mako System also allows your surgeon to make adjustments to your plan during surgery as needed. 

 
References

1. Suarez-Ahedo C, Gui C, Martin TJ, Chandrasekaran S, Lodhia P, Domb BG. Robotic- arm assisted total hip arthroplasty results in smaller acetabular cup size in relation to the femoral head size: a matched-pair controlled study. Hip Int. 2017;27(2):147-152. doi:10.5301/hipint.5000418 
2. Illgen RL, Bukowski BR, Abiola R, et al. Robotic-assisted total hip arthroplasty: Outcomes at minimum two year follow up. Surg Technol Int. 2017;30:365-372. 

 
 
 

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