Outpatient Robotic Total Knee Replacement

Dr. Redmond is fellowship trained in outpatient joint replacement and robotic joint replacement. Dr. Redmond was certified in robotic partial knee replacements in 2011. He continued to utilize a robot throughout fellowship and practice at Mayo Clinic. He has published several studies and given presentations on the use of a robot for joint replacement. While at Mayo Clinic he taught other surgeons how to use this technology. Very few surgeons in this country have the experience and training that Dr. Redmond has!

In 2017 software and tools were introduced to the orthopedic community for total knee replacement surgery. Robotic knee replacement allows for a less invasive approach to the knee joint. Because the surgeon no longer needs to expose certain areas of the knee joint for retractors and jigs, there is less soft tissue trauma. As an expert in robotic joint replacement, Dr. Redmond uses the robot to adjust ligament tension and implant position. This ensures every knee replacement is precisely positioned and custom fit for the patient. As a result Dr. Redmond’s patients enjoy a reduced recovery time and less pain around the time of surgery. This allows most patients the ability to go home the same day of surgery.

Dr. Redmond creates a small incision over the knee cap to expose the arthritic knee. Pins are then placed in the tibia and femur for robotic navigation during surgery. After bone spurs are removed the robot is used to determine the tension on knee ligaments and a three dimensional plan is developed during surgery by Dr. Redmond. All patients have a CT scan prior to surgery to build a custom model of the individual knee. This allows each knee replacement to be perfectly fit to the patient. A robotic arm then is introduced to precisely create bone cuts on the femur and tibia. The arthritic backside of the knee cap is then removed. A trial knee replacement is then placed in the patient and the robot is used to ensure the knee moves through a complete range of motion without too much tension. Once the knee replacement is perfect the real components are placed.

The knee is then soaked in a special solution for 3 minutes to prevent infection. This has allowed Dr. Redmond to have an infection rate of less than one in a thousand in primary joint replacement!

One of the keys to outpatient joint replacement is pain control. Dr. Redmond performs an intra-operative pain block on all hip and knee replacements. This block eliminates pain for the first 24-48 hours and typically does not cause any muscle weakness. The entire surgery takes just over an hour. After surgery patients walk without restrictions and are ready to sleep in their own bed!