The pioneering robotic knee surgery at Medcare Royal Speciality Hospital has helped a 49 year old Indian homemaker and mother of one recover from a decade long agonising bilateral osteoarthritis, a debilitating condition that affects both knees. Medcare Royal Speciality Hospital, Al Qusais, has accomplished a significant medical achievement by performing this advanced robotic knee surgery led by Dr Karthikraj Kuberakani, which helped her to walk within two hours of the surgery.
Acclaimed for adopting contemporary medical technologies for tertiary and quaternary care, this ground-breaking robotic surgery is the first of its kind that has been performed by an orthopaedic surgeon at Medcare, and this advanced surgical approach has actually prevented the patient from enduring a total knee replacement in the future.
The patient was suffering from arthritis for over ten years, and the condition had worsened in the last six months to the point where even mundane activities such as walking for more than 15 minutes or climbing stairs became increasingly difficult for her, causing significant disruptions in her daily life. She had to lean on her right leg most of the time and often walked with a limp since she exerted more strain on her right leg throughout her everyday activities. The turning point came after a fall at the airport that aggravated the pain in her right knee, leading to considerable swelling.
“The agony was excruciating at times. I couldn't walk more than a few minutes without feeling like my knees were giving way. Simple tasks like getting in and out of a car were nearly impossible for me," the patient specifies. “I’d been living with the pain for so long that I could not imagine my life without it, but after my accident at the airport, the pain became terrible. That is when I realised that I had to find a solution”, adds the patient.
After consulting a doctor, she was initially advised to have her left knee replaced entirely. The patient, who was concerned about undergoing a significant and invasive surgery, sought a second opinion with Dr Karthikraj at Medcare Royal Speciality Hospital.
Dr Karthikraj thoroughly analysed her condition during her visit to Medcare and recommended an alternative recourse. "Given the patient's young age, we believed that a robotic knee surgery would be a more effective, long-term solution. Joint implants are more durable, and robotic-assisted orthopaedic surgery has the potential to improve accuracy and precision over the traditional surgical approaches. We wanted to ensure that she could return to her regular life as soon as possible and with greater precision," explains Dr Karthikraj.
According to the doctor, total knee replacement surgery is often reserved for people in their mid-50s and older. Robotic knee surgery is preferred because of its precision and capacity to tailor the procedure to the patient's unique anatomy. The procedure entailed using robot-assisted technology to precisely put the implants while minimising harm to the surrounding tissues, hence preventing post-operative pain and speeding up recovery time.
Knee surgery is particularly sensitive to placement; even a slight misalignment could affect the life of the implant. In traditional, or manual, knee replacement surgery, surgeons employ handheld instruments to remove the damaged cartilage and rely on their judgement and skill to position the implant based on the patient's anatomy. However, with the robot-assisted knee surgery, technology supports the physician in gathering personalized data about the patient's knee anatomy, allowing for more precision and accuracy throughout the surgery. "If anything changes the position of the knee during the surgery, even slightly, the robot-assisted solution recognizes it and adjusts the cut accordingly," according to Dr Karthikraj. "So you have an additional pair of eyes, so to speak, to guarantee that the surgeon is able to perform the treatment as planned. It eliminates any assumptions.
The surgery lasted 1.5 hours, and the patient was able to walk after two hours of the procedure, with significant relief from pain.
Commenting on the patient’s path to recovery, Dr Karthikraj says, “The results were immediately promising. The patient was able to return to her daily activities within six weeks and was satisfied with the outcome. The use of robotic surgery allowed us to provide the best possible care for our patients, ensuring faster recovery and long-term relief from pain. Her ability to walk so soon after the surgery and resume her daily tasks was a great success."
“Looking forward, the prognosis for the patient is excellent. With the success of the robotic knee surgery and post-operative physiotherapy, the patient is on track to regain full mobility and experience long-lasting relief from her osteoarthritis symptoms. She is currently undergoing home physiotherapy to strengthen her knees and further improve her mobility,” he adds.
The patient expresses her gratitude, saying, "I’m so thankful to Dr Karthikraj and the entire Medcare team for their incredible care. After years of pain and discomfort, I can now live my life without constant knee pain, and I’m looking forward to staying active once again."
The patient is now recovering well and is already back to doing activities that had been impossible for years due to her knee pain. Thanks to the success of the robotic surgery, she has regained her independence and is able to enjoy daily life without the burden of chronic pain.
