First ‘Robotic-Arm Assisted Joint Replacement’ in state 

“My knee was worn out.  It was bone on bone with no relief from the pain,” said 52-year-old Billy Arrant, a Shreveport city employee, who tried just about everything to relieve his knee pain caused by osteoarthritis (OA).  

He considered having a total knee replacement procedure until his surgeon, Dr. Steven Atchison, presented him with a new surgical option that had never been performed in the state of Louisiana.

It’s called MAKOplasty partial knee resurfacing, and it’s powered by a surgeon guided robotic arm.

This technology enables increased precision in performing this minimally invasive procedure, which preserves bone, spares surrounding tissue and promotes quicker healing compared to total knee replacement.  

MAKOplasty is a treatment option for adults living with early to mid-stage osteoarthritis of the knee that has not yet impacted the entire knee.  Patients may experience a shorter hospital stay, quicker recovery and a smaller incision as compared to total knee replacement.

In addition, many return to an active lifestyle within weeks of the procedure.  During MAKOplasty, surgeons utilize the RIO robotic arm system, which features a tactile robotic arm and a 3-D virtual patient specific visualization system.

“I walked down the hallway four or five hours after surgery, and it didn’t hurt.  I put pressure on it, and it didn’t hurt,” said Arrant.

Walking away from pain after surgery is a reality for thousands of other MAKOplasty patients treated at some 40 sites across the country.  But, it did not become available locally, until Dr. Atchison and the physicians at Orthopedic Specialists of Louisiana teamed up with Specialists Hospital Shreveport to purchase this latest innovative technology.  

“This is the first and only MAKOplasty ‘Robotic-Arm Assisted Joint Replacement’ system available in Louisiana, Arkansas and Northeast Texas; including the Dallas area,” said Atchison.

“We are excited to bring this technology here, so that all those who suffer with debilitating knee pain caused by osteoarthritis - can find relief from the pain, and enjoy a better quality of life.”  
 

Just a few days after surgery, Arrant said, “My wife says I’m getting around better than ever.”

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