Kim Taegyun, Director of Busan Himchan Hospital, Presents 3,800 Cases of Robotic Joint Replacement at Global "Mako Summit"

Sharing the Latest Clinical Data on Robotic Surgery
Based on Precision and Safety

Kim Taegyun, Director of Busan Himchan Hospital, drew attention by presenting his experience with 3,800 cases of robotic joint replacement surgery at the global 'Mako Summit.'

On November 29, the '2025 Mako Summit' was held in Gangnam, Seoul, hosted by the global medical device company Stryker.

This academic event brought together orthopedic specialists and researchers from major medical institutions in Korea to share the latest clinical data related to robotic joint replacement surgery.

At the event, Director Kim shared his clinical expertise based on his experience with 3,800 robotic joint replacement surgeries since the introduction of the Mako robot in 2020. The 'Mako Summit' is an annual international academic conference attended by orthopedic experts, aiming to standardize robotic joint replacement surgery and facilitate the sharing of surgical techniques.

In his lecture, Director Kim focused on patient-tailored robotic joint replacement surgery strategies, accuracy-based surgical planning, and clinical cases involving patients with degenerative arthritis. He explained the features of the Mako system, which minimizes surgical errors by utilizing CT-based 3D analysis and the precise assistance of the robotic arm, illustrating these points with real clinical cases.

He identified the main patient groups for robotic joint replacement surgery as those with degenerative arthritis, post-traumatic arthritis, knee deformities, and chronic pain patients who do not improve with conservative treatments such as medication, injections, or physical therapy. He also highlighted the strengths of robotic surgery, including high accuracy and minimal bleeding, explaining that the cutting range can be precisely planned in advance to insert the artificial joint in the optimal position for the bone structure.

Director Kim particularly emphasized that the 'haptic' technology, which restricts movements beyond the pre-set cutting range during robotic surgery, helps prevent unnecessary tissue damage and significantly reduces bleeding. He explained that these technological advantages not only reduce errors during surgery but also lower the risk of complications related to bleeding.

He presented partial replacement surgery, which preserves healthy tissue and replaces only the damaged area according to the degree of joint damage, and total replacement surgery for patients with end-stage degenerative arthritis as examples. He noted that the robotic system contributes to faster recovery and higher surgical satisfaction by ensuring precise cutting and alignment.

Busan Himchan Hospital has continued to strengthen its competitiveness in the field of robotic therapy in the region by conducting ongoing research and accumulating clinical data in robotic joint replacement.

Director Kim stated that orthopedic surgery is increasingly shifting toward a more precise and patient-tailored paradigm, and that, having introduced the Mako robotic surgery system in 2020 to lead robotic joint replacement surgery in the region, the hospital will continue to advance and provide improved medical technology through ongoing research and clinical application.

This year alone, Director Kim was officially invited to three global academic events, including the Mako Total Knee Certification Course and the Knee Champions Meeting, earning international recognition for his expertise in robotic joint replacement surgery.

Kim Taegyun, Director of Busan Himchan Hospital.

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