An article in the Los Angeles Times profiles the use of robots in orthopaedic surgery. The authors look at several robotic devices that are designed to use information from computed tomography scans to assist physicians in precisely drilling cavities to match orthopaedic implants. The robots allow the surgeon to guide the drill by hand, but offer resistance as the drill reaches the limits of the planned cavity. A number of published studies have supported the use of robots for orthopaedic surgery, although one study published in 2003 in the Journal of Bone & Joint Surgery—American found complications using one of the robotic products. Read more…

MAKOplasty® Precision, Reproducibility and Patient Benefits Now Achievable for Uni and Bicompartmental Procedures

FT. LAUDERDALE, Fla. - February 24, 2009 – MAKO Surgical Corp. (NASDAQ:MAKO), will unveil the next generation of its robotic arm system and implants used for MAKOplasty® partial knee resurfacing, at the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons (AAOS) 2009 Annual Meeting, February 25- 28 in Las Vegas.

The RIOTM Robotic Arm Interactive Orthopedic System and the RESTORIS® MCK MultiCompartmental Knee System make bone and tissue sparing MAKOplasty® partial knee resurfacing available to a larger population of patients. Previously, it was only possible to perform this precision resurfacing surgery on the medial (inner) portion of the knee. Now it can be performed on the medial, patellofemoral (top) or both components of the knee, offering a large and growing population of patients with early to mid-stage osteoarthritis (OA) of the knee a less invasive treatment option than total knee replacement.

“The field of medical robotics is coming of age, and MAKO is committed to leading the way in orthopedic surgery,” said Dr. Maurice R. Ferré, President, Chief Executive Officer and Chairman of the MAKO Board of Directors. “The advancement of our technology with RIOTM and RESTORIS® MCK allows a greater number of patients with osteoarthritis to benefit from the

® precision and improved outcomes of MAKOplasty. ”

MAKO’s robotic arm system is the first FDA-cleared robotic arm system for orthopedic surgery. It provides patient-specific, three-dimensional modeling for pre-surgical planning. As surgeons use the robotic arm to resurface the knee for placement of the implants, RIOTM provides real- time inter-operative visual, tactile and auditory feedback, enabling a high level of precision and optimal positioning of the implants.

MAKOplasty® provides the potential for improved surgical outcomes, with a less invasive partial knee resurfacing procedure that spares healthy bone and tissue, preserves ligaments and allows for a more rapid recovery and a more natural feeling knee.

MAKO will be in Booth 1467 at the AAOS 2009 Annual Meeting in Las Vegas.

About MAKO Surgical Corp.

MAKO Surgical Corp. is a medical device company that markets both its robotic arm interactive orthopedic surgical platform and its proprietary RESTORIS® implants for minimally invasive orthopedic knee procedures. The MAKO RIOTM System (RIOTM) is a surgeon-interactive tactile platform that incorporates a robotic arm and patient-specific visualization technology andprepares the knee joint for the insertion and alignment of MAKO’s resurfacing implants through a minimal incision. The FDA-cleared RIO allows surgeons to provide a precise, consistently reproducible tissue-sparing, bone resurfacing procedure called MAKOplasty® to a large, yet underserved patient-specific population suffering from early to mid-stage osteoarthritic knee disease. MAKO has an intellectual property portfolio of more than 250 licensed or owned patents and patent applications relating to the areas of computer assisted surgery, haptics, robotics and implants. Additional information can be found at www.makosurgical.com.

“MAKOplasty®,” “RIO,” “RESTORIS®,” “Tactile Guidance System” and “TGS,” as well as the “MAKO” logo, whether standing alone or in connection with the words “MAKO Surgical Corp.” are trademarks of MAKO Surgical Corp.

Dr. Aram Channel 9 interview LIVE:  Nearly 15-million people suffer from osteo-arthritis of the knee and traditional knee surgeries can involve months of recovery.  MAKOplasty partial knee replacement preserves healthy bone and surrounding tissue and ligaments, delivering better results and minimizing recovery time.

Channel 9 Health Alert: Patient testimony of how an innovative new knee procedure performed by Dr. Aram at Fair Oaks Hospital dramatically improved his quality of life. March 23, 2011.

Written by Amy Leone

Danilo Vargas has spent years as an international flight attendant and suffered with severe osteoarthritis in his knee.

FAIRFAX, Va. (WUSA) – Danilo Vargas has spent years as an international flight attendant and suffered with severe osteoarthritis in his knee. The long hours of standing on planes and walking across airports took their toll on Danilo’s knee. The pain became so severe it started to hinder the 62-year-old’s everyday life and livelihood.

“I am very active and to me, I was getting depressed. It was effecting me, because I couldn’t do the things I like to do,” Danilo said.

He had physical therapy, cortisone shots and other treatments, but nothing completely alleviated the pain. His doctor told him the next step would be surgery, and he recommended a new, less invasive option called MAKOplasty.

INOVA Fair Oaks Hospital is the only hospital doing the procedure and Dr. Tony Aram is one of three surgeons utilizing the MAKO RIO robot in the DC metro area. MAKOplasty is partial knee resurfacing, and it replaces the need for patients to have a total joint replacement when only part of the cartilage is worn away. Dr. Aram can do that with the help of a surgical robotic arm nicknamed RIO.

“During surgery, the surgeon actually registers the patients anatomy into the computer and when those match up and are validated, the robot can execute that operation. And basically the precision of the robot is phenomenal. It is razor edge precision,” Dr. Aram said.

He said the incision is smaller and can be performed on an outpatient basis. He will smooth out any damaged bone and then put in an implant to allow the knee joint to move smoothly again.

The benefit of this type of surgery for patients is tremendous.

Dr. Aram said, “Number one, they get to preserve a large percentage of their normal knee and the ligaments. The second thing is because you are doing this operation so perfectly each time, the patient has a more natural feel and some of the side benefit of this is that it is less pain because the operation is less invasive. Patient returns to activities much quicker.”

Dr. Aram also said he tells people compared to total knee replacement MAKOplasty patients have a third less recovery time.

Danilo couldn’t believe how quickly he was back on his feet and back in the air doing what he loves.

“It has improved my life 100 percent. I recommend it highly to everybody or anybody,” Danilo said.

MAKOplasty wouldn’t work for someone who has severe arthritis and has damage in all three compartments of the knee. Most insurance companies cover this type of procedure.

Tony N. Aram, MD
Advanced Orthopaedics & Sports Medicine Institute

Dr. Aram is Board Certified in Orthopaedic Surgery, a Fellow of both the American Association of Hip and Knee Surgeons and the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons.  Dr. Aram’s advanced training in minimally invasive surgery gives his patients the best outcome possible.  He uses cutting edge technology to perform computer navigation and robotic-guided resurfacing arthroplasty, repairing only the damaged part of the joint, while meticulously preserving healthy tissue.  He consistently pursues innovative ways to improve his patient’s quality of life.  Dr. Aram focuses on partial and total Joint Reconstruction and Minimally Invasive Surgery for Hip, Knee and Shoulder.

3620 Joseph Siewick Drive, Suite 101
Fairfax, VA 22033
703-648-3100