PRESQUE ISLE, Maine — Northern Light AR Gould Hospital is excited to announce that robotic surgical technology is now available in the region for use by its orthopedic surgeons during knee and hip replacements.
“Surgical robotics is not something that is typically possible in rural areas, due to the cost of investing in such technology,” says Dr. Jay Reynolds, president of AR Gould Hospital. “Thankfully, Northern Light Health is committed to patient needs across the state, not just in our bigger urban locations. This includes investments in our talented team, technology, and innovations in care delivery.”
The hospital is one of four in the Northern Light Health system to receive the advanced equipment. Other Northern Light hospitals receiving this advanced surgical equipment were Eastern Maine Medical Center, Mercy Hospital and Maine Coast Hospital.
The robotic assistant devices arrived at hospitals in February, and over the past two months the AR Gould surgical team has integrated the technology into care plans and completed training to use the equipment. The first knee replacement surgery using this tool was completed on April 10 by Dr. Wendy Boucher, and the first hip replacement surgery was completed on April 17 by Dr. Anthony Lapinsky – the first robotically assisted hip replacement completed in New England using this equipment!
While many people imagine a robot operating on them, that is not the case with this technology, assures Dr. Lapinsky. Instead, this is a tool to help the surgeon using advanced guidance for precision tailoring of the bone preparation and improved placement of the components.
“This technology is the new standard for joint replacement. The robot does not replace the surgeon or do any of the surgeon’s work. It provides technology to ensure greater accuracy and precision to place the new joint,” explains Dr. Lapinsky.
For hip replacements, the robot never touches the patient. Instead, the technology is used for image analysis, providing an additional check for the surgeon’s interpretation, according to Lapinsky.
For knee replacement procedures, the robotic arm positions a guide relative to bone landmarks and allows better guide pin placement. Unlike other robot systems, all points are surgeon chosen and the robot does not do any part of the procedure, rather it facilitates alignment using surface landmarks instead of rods placed inside of bone.
Surgical team members and patients are already benefiting from the technology, designed to help ensure artificial joint placement, quality, and precision. To learn more about orthopedics at AR Gould Hospital, visit NorthernLightHealth.org/ARGould.
