St. Vincent Charity Medical Center’s Dr. Bernard Stulberg recently became the first orthopedic surgeon in the nation to utilize the newly released TSolution One active robotic system to perform total hip replacement surgery. This revolutionary technology, which enables a surgeon-controlled robot to cut the bone to precise shape and position, is expected to increase the accuracy of hip implant placement and improve long-term outcomes for patients.
With the TSolution One Surgical System, the only active robotic system cleared by the FDA for total hip replacement, surgeons create an exact 3-D computer model of the patient’s hip anatomy prior to surgery. After verifying the model, surgeons are able to develop a customized surgical plan, selecting the ideal implant size, fit and position for each individual patient. Once finalized, the pre-operative plan is transferred to the robotic system, where under the surgeon’s direct control, the bone cavities and joint surface are machined and positioned to sub-millimeter and less than one degree accuracy.
“This technology could be a game changer for orthopedic surgery,” Dr. Stulberg said. “Advancing and combining previous surgical technologies with improved imaging capability allows surgeons to develop a patient-specific and unique surgical plan prior to surgery. The plan is then executed with the level of precision that only robotics can offer. That means more accurate placement, less post-surgical pain, and diminished early post-operative complications such as bone fracture and implant dislocation”.
While robotic technology has existed for some time to assist with orthopedic surgery, the TSolution One, developed by THINK Surgical, Inc. in consultation with Dr. Stulberg, is the only one in place in which the robot prepares the cavity for surgery. With it, Dr. Stulberg said, he is able to create the precise cavity needed to accommodate the implant, allowing for a gentler and safer seating of the implant. Dr. Stulberg is also leading a clinical trial for use of the TSolution One for total knee replacement surgery.
“This precise fit creates less opportunity for movement of the implant in bone, thus assuring more predictable attachment,” he said. “The positioning accuracy enhances the ultimate stability and loads on the implants to allow for increased longevity of the device.”
Despite the excellent overall clinical results of total hip replacement surgery, studies show more than half of all hip replacement implants may not be optimally placed in patients. This leads to instability in the hip joint, excessive wear, increased pain, and a greater risk for bone fracture and loosening. Repetitive dislocation of a hip implant is the leading cause for the need of hip revision surgery.
Dr. Stulberg has built a reputation within the medical community for his commitment to the safe introduction of new technologies to improve patient outcomes. Last year, he worked with one of the premier manufacturers of joint restoration products, Exactech, to develop an intuitive, modular parts system for revision total knee replacement. The system can be coupled with computer-based tools to accurately determine the causes of failure of a total knee replacement and guide correction of those abnormalities. Dr. Stulberg became the first in the nation to utilize this new technology for his patients.
Prior to his partnership with THINK Surgical and TSolution One, Dr. Stulberg has been working to employ computer-based technologies for hip and knee replacements since the early 1990’s. With the TSolution One robotic approach, Dr. Stulberg will lead the development of a Center for Robotics in Orthopedics with innovative colleagues Dr. Louis Keppler and Dr. Audley Mackel. This team is part of the Spine and Orthopedic Institute at St Vincent Charity Medical Center.
St. Vincent Charity is the only hospital in the Midwest currently certified to use this modern system.
St. Vincent Charity Medical Center is Cleveland’s faith-based, high-quality healthcare provider. Our distinguished doctors and caregivers are devoted to treating every patient with clinical excellence and compassionate care. St. Vincent Charity Medical Center is home to the renowned Spine and Orthopedic Institute and the Center for Bariatric Surgery. Owned by the Sisters of Charity Health System, St. Vincent Charity Medical Center provides Care Beyond Medicine. For more information, visit www.stvincentcharity.com.
THINK Surgical, Inc. is committed to the future of orthopedic surgery and to improving patient care through the development of leading-edge precision technology. THINK Surgical develops, manufactures, and markets the only active robotic surgical system for orthopedic surgery.
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