Precise and Safe Robot Surgery... Reduces Pain and Speeds Up Recovery

Surgical Robot Market Rapid Growth
Himchan Hospital Introduces 'Mako' Robot
FDA Approval...Artificial Joint Surgery

Sanghoon Lee, Director of Changwon Himchan Hospital

[Asia Economy Reporter Seo So-jeong] Ms. Kim Jeong-sook, in her 60s, who was considering artificial joint surgery due to severe pain from knee osteoarthritis, decided to undergo robotic artificial joint surgery after consulting with medical staff. This method increases accuracy, minimizes bone cutting to reduce pain, and results in less bleeding during surgery compared to conventional surgery. Ms. Kim is satisfied with her rapid recovery after the operation.

Thanks to technological advancements, surgeries requiring precision are increasingly utilizing robots in the medical field. According to market research firm Research and Markets, the global surgical robot market is expected to grow from 8.3415 trillion KRW this year to 14.691 trillion KRW by 2025. Especially with the commercialization of robotic surgeries that improve accuracy and shorten recovery periods, more hospitals are adopting this technology.

Robots Enhance Surgical Precision
1,000 Robotic Surgeries in 5 Months

In June of this year, Mokdong Himchan Hospital introduced Stryker's orthopedic surgical robot 'Mako' and achieved the milestone of performing its 100th surgery within just over a month, marking the shortest period worldwide to reach 100 cases. The Mako robot is the only artificial joint surgery robot approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for total knee replacement, partial knee replacement, and total hip replacement surgeries. Holding the number one market share globally for orthopedic surgical robots, it has been adopted in 26 countries including the U.S. and Europe, with over 350,000 clinical cases. Himchan Hospital first introduced the Mako robot at its Seoul Mokdong location in June, then prioritized installations in Incheon Bupyeong in July and Seoul Gangbuk in November, performing approximately 1,000 Mako robot surgeries over about five months in the metropolitan area.

When it comes to robotic surgery, it is easy to mistakenly think that the robot performs the entire surgery independently, but this is not the case. Robotic artificial joint surgery is characterized by the robot assisting with precise bone cutting based on the experienced surgeon’s expertise, thereby enhancing the quality of the surgery. Changwon Himchan Hospital, which introduced the Mako robot this month, has been preparing through medical staff training and dedicated nurse education, and is steadily performing at least one surgery per day.

Dr. Lee Sang-hoon, director of Changwon Himchan Hospital, said, "Since this is the early stage of introduction, the process of setting up the robot before surgery and the time required for the surgeon to operate takes about 20 to 30 minutes longer than conventional artificial joint surgery. However, this is only due to the adaptation period to the machine, and there are no particular difficulties during the surgery itself." He added, "The robot calculates precisely and stops operating if even a slight error occurs, allowing surgeons to focus on the surgery with greater confidence."

Differentiation Through Robotic Surgery
Aiming to Data-Drive Surgical Experience and Skills

The hospital treats patients who require surgery due to severe knee osteoarthritis. Knee osteoarthritis involves thinning and gradual wear of the joint cartilage, causing the thigh bone (femur) and shin bone (tibia) to rub against each other. In the early to mid-stages of arthritis, treatments such as injections, physical therapy, and exercise therapy are applied, but in the final stage where all cartilage is worn away, artificial joint surgery is the only treatment option.

Artificial joint surgery involves cutting away damaged bone at the final stage when cartilage is completely worn out and no longer functional, and inserting an artificial joint implant. It is important to determine the size and insertion position of the artificial joint tailored to the patient by considering the anatomical bone structure, ligaments, muscles, and other soft tissue conditions, as well as leg axis alignment and ligament balance.

Dr. Lee stated, "The additional consumable costs for robotic surgery are non-reimbursable, so patients bear about 1 million KRW extra. However, since artificial joint surgery is typically performed only once in a lifetime, it is important to do it properly even if it costs a bit more." He recommended robotic surgery especially for patients with severe leg deformities due to end-stage arthritis, noting the high success rate and excellent outcomes. Patient satisfaction after surgery is generally high. Since artificial joint surgery involves bone cutting, patients often worry about pain beforehand, but robotic surgery causes less pain, making rehabilitation exercises easier.

Dr. Lee added, "In the Changwon area, robotic artificial joints are not as widespread as in the metropolitan area, so it may be unfamiliar to patients. Since the robotic arm handles the most critical and error-prone bone cutting part of artificial joint surgery, we aim to digitize the accumulated surgical experience and skills of medical staff to help robotic artificial joint surgery stabilize and to lead regional medical development."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.