New orthopedic technologies at Jefferson Healthcare decrease recovery times for total joint replacements. With robotic-assisted surgery, implants are placed precisely, leading to better outcomes with less pain and improved joint functionality, potentially lasting a lifetime.
March 5, 2024
When some people think about orthopedic surgeries, they have a mental image of an invasive knee, hip, or ankle replacement requiring a long period of recovery. But new technologies and surgical techniques have resulted in a paradigm shift in orthopedics, decreasing recovery times while increasing the beneficial outcomes of the procedures.
Ten years ago, a knee replacement patient could expect to spend at least five days in the hospital following surgery and experience significant pain during the recovery process. In contrast, today, knee replacement surgery is an outpatient procedure for most patients at Jefferson Healthcare. In other words, patients can often go home on the same day as their procedure.
Why has there been such a drastic shift in recovery time? The answer has to do with advances in orthopedic implants and the technology used to place them. But it’s not just recovery times that have improved. These advances mean that patients can also expect better and longer-lasting results. Most patients will experience less pain and a better range of motion. Additionally, implants are expected to last for the rest of the patient’s life, whereas, in the past, some patients would need to have the procedure done again once the implants wear out. That’s no longer a concern for most people.
Dr. Paul Naumann, an orthopedic surgeon at Jefferson Healthcare, explains why knee and hip replacements have a reputation for requiring a long and painful recovery. “Traditional joint replacement used instrumentation that would place a rod up the thigh in an external instrumentation on the shin bone,” says Dr. Naumann. “That’s been replaced with robotic-assisted surgery where a robot assists in placing the implant in a precise position.” With robotic assistance, surgeons are able to ensure that joint implants are perfectly balanced. This results in improved joint functionality, such as increasing range of motion, but it also means the implant will last longer.
Another benefit that we hear from patients is the reduction in recovery time. Factoring in physical therapy, the overall recovery time is approximately six weeks, but some patients recover even more quickly. “I have several patients who are without assistive devices two weeks after initiating robot-assisted surgery and have had full range of motion,” says Dr. Naumann.
For those contemplating orthopedic consultations, Dr. Naumann advises seeking professional advice if you’re experiencing “pain that limits activities of daily living or your ability to care for yourself.” If joint replacement is recommended, ask your doctor about robotic-assisted surgery and how it can help you decrease your recovery time while also improving your joint’s functionality.
