Hammond-Henry announces addition of new robot to assist in joint replacement surgery

Hammond-Henry Hospital is thrilled to announce the addition of a new robot to assist in joint replacement surgeries. ROSA®, a product of Zimmer US, Inc., which stands for Robotic Surgical Assistant, is designed to help specially trained orthopedic surgeons tailor placement of a joint implants to accommodate each patient’s individual anatomy. Currently, ROSA is formatted to assist with knee replacements and soon, as software becomes available, other joint replacements will utilize ROSA.  During your procedure, ROSA utilizes a camera, sophisticated software, and optical trackers attached to your extremity to know exactly where your joint is in space. If your leg or arm moves even a fraction of an inch, the robot can tell and adjusts accordingly.

Not surprisingly, ROSA® requires a trained surgeon to operate. Mark Stewart, M.D. of ORA Orthopedics has performed countless joint replacements at Hammond-Henry Hospital since 2006.  Dr. Stewart along with Kris Crimmins, RN, BSN, Director of Nursing, OR at Hammond-Henry have completed training for ROSA and are eager to begin surgeries with the robot. Dr. Stewart states, “The robot is essential for improving outcomes with regards to decreased pain and improved motion in complex arthritic knees. Also, with the addition of robotics coupled with the latest in cementless knee replacements, Hammond-Henry Hospital is at the forefront of replacement technology.”

Robot-assisted surgery is not new to Hammond-Henry Hospital. The daVinci® surgical robot has been in service since late 2016, and this robot has been used by many surgeons, but most notably by Calvin Atwell, M.D. and recently, Matt Heberer M.D., both general surgeons at Hammond-Henry Hospital.  Just as with the daVinci®robot, a patient will need to visit with their orthopedic surgeon to see if he/she is a good candidate for ROSA.