Stryker Mako SmartRobtics™
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How Mako SmartRobotics™ Works
At Sierra View Medical Center, we use Stryker Mako SmartRobotics™ to assist with total knee, partial knee, and total hip replacements. This advanced technology helps our surgeons perform joint replacement with a high level of precision, leading to less pain, smaller incisions, and a faster recovery for many patients.
Here’s how the process works:
Step 1: A Detailed 3D Scan
Before surgery, you’ll get a CT scan at our Imaging Department. This scan creates a detailed, 3D model of your joint. It shows your surgeon:
- The shape and condition of your bone
- How your joint is aligned
- The surrounding bone and tissue
This allows your surgeon to plan your surgery based on your exact anatomy, not just general guidelines.
Step 2: Creating Your Personalized Plan
Using your 3D scan, your surgeon builds a step-by-step surgical plan. With help from Mako’s technology, they decide:
- The size of the implant
- Where it should go
- How to align it to fit you best
This planning helps protect healthy bone and tissue and ensures that every move during surgery is carefully thought out ahead of time.
Step 3: Precision in the Operating Room
During your surgery, your surgeon guides the Mako robotic arm by hand. The robot does not operate on its own—your surgeon is in full control at all times.
The Mako system uses something called AccuStop™ technology, which acts like a safety guard, helping the surgeon stay within the planned area and avoid unnecessary cutting. This helps protect the healthy parts of your joint.
What Patients Can Expect
Compared to traditional joint replacement, Mako can offer:
- More accurate placement of your implant
- Smaller incisions and less damage to healthy tissue
- Less pain after surgery
- Shorter hospital stays
- A quicker return to daily activities
In fact, many patients are back on their feet faster. For example, 9 out of 10 partial knee replacement patients were walking without a cane or walker just three weeks after surgery. And many hip replacement patients say their new joint feels more natural.