Nepean Private Hospital is pioneering new technology when it comes to knee replacements with robotic assistance, and Orthopaedic Surgeon Simon Coffey was the first in the nation to use the Apollo system.
The surgeon explained the new technology provides premium precision and extra personalised plans for patients.
“It gives us the ability to measure the alignment of the knee, and also how soft tissues balance around the knee, which gives us the capacity to combine balance and alignment when we do the surgery,” Coffey said.
Surgeons can estimate these parameters, but Apollo makes the process more individualised.
“Some people are a little knock-kneed, some people are a little bow-legged… We plan the surgery around their individual pre-existing characteristics, and in doing so, it speeds up their recovery by not having to do as much soft tissue manipulation, and that’s really what the robot helps us with,” Coffey explained.
The process starts with a 3D model of a patient’s knee, which is then robotically assessed for its range of motion. With that data, the surgeon uses Apollo to adjust the planned placement of the total knee components.
With the plan in place, the surgeon can use the Apollo robotic cutting guide to assist with the removal of the arthritic knee surface – and according to Coffey, this is more important now than ever.
“Around Australia there’s over 60,000 knee replacements done every year and they’re becoming more common, both in older patients but also in the younger patient population; partly because of obesity rates, but also other injuries and degeneration,” he said.
And the arrival of the robot in Penrith is a rarity.
“The fact that it’s only available at Nepean Private at the moment is a real positive for the patients in the area,” Coffey declared.
“Often the western Sydney patients are the ones that are not the first to get things, but in this case they are.”
Amongst this exciting news, the Orthopaedic Department Head wants to assure locals of one thing.
“The surgeon remains in control,” Coffey reassured.
“We’re not being driven by the robot; we use it as a tool to improve our precision and our accuracy with the surgery.”
Ally Hall
Ally Hall joined the Weekender in 2024, and focuses on entertainment and community stories. She's a graduate of the University of South Australia and has previously worked as a Video Journalist with Southern Cross Austereo and as a News Reader with Australian Radio Network.