Robotic-assisted Joint Replacement Expands Across the UH System

UH Clinical Update | August 2023

Robotic-assisted joint replacement is expanding from one UH location to five, thanks to a significant new investment in the technology on the part of University Hospitals Orthopaedics.

UH Ahuja Medical Center now has both a Stryker Mako and a DePuy Velys robot, along with UH Beachwood Medical Center. UH Geauga and UH St. John medical centers each have one Mako robot, joining UH Elyria, which first initiated the robotic-assisted joint replacement program.

“Today’s total joint replacement patients increasingly request the latest, leading-edge technology for their surgeries,” says James Voos, MD, Chair of UH Orthopaedics and Jack and Mary Herrick Distinguished Chair in Orthopaedics and Sports Medicine. “This new investment in robotic-assisted joint replacement technology across the system positions UH to meet this demand.”

“We are committed to providing the most advanced care to all of our patients,” Dr. Voos says. “That's first and foremost. Everyone who comes to University Hospitals should have access to the most up-to-date technology. We have invested in our facilities with new operating rooms, electronic medical records system and research infrastructure. The robotic technology with total joints aligns with this.”

Helping Attract Top Talent

The expansion of robotic-assisted joint replacement at UH also is helping UH Orthopaedics attract some of the best orthopaedic surgeons in the country, Dr. Voos says. Breana Siljander, MD, from the Hospital for Special Surgery in New York, for example, is joining UH Orthopaedics on September 1 as Director of Robotics. And she’s not alone. Mark McElroy, MD, has been recruited from the Mayo Clinic to join the team as well. 

“They are coming to UH from some of the most prestigious orthopaedic surgery fellowship programs in the country,” Dr. Voos says. “They will join our current expert joint replacement team led by Steve Fitzgerald, MD.”

Different Options

Another key feature of the expansion in robotic-assisted joint replacement at UH is having access to two different robotics with distinct operating systems. Stryker’s Mako robot employs pre-operative imaging, while DePuy’s Velys is an imageless system that instead collects data in real-time in the OR.

“We are fortunate to have great partners in Stryker and DePuy to provide patients with personalized options,” Dr. Voos says. “By having two types of robots, it allows us to customize the surgery to each patient, so that it’s the right implant for the right patient.”

Orthopaedic surgeons also often prefer to use the robot they were trained on, adds Steven Fitzgerald, MD, Chief of the Division of Adult Reconstruction at UH.

“It’s really surgeon preference in terms of how they're trained and what implants they use,” he says. “It's nice for our surgeons to have options.”

Future State

Both Dr. Fitzgerald and Dr. Voos agree that this current expansion of robotic-assisted joint replacement technology at UH is likely only the beginning. Technological innovation in total joint replacement is continuing at a rapid pace, they say.

“It'll be interesting to see what happens over time, because the technology is rapidly developing really, at a pace that I haven't seen before,” Dr. Fitzgerald says. “Companies are already working on VR and AI and other technologies that will be coming down the road as well. Where we land isn't really known yet, but it'll probably be a mix of some sort of robotic technology and AI. No matter what, I don't see a place in the future or in the near future where the surgeon will not be involved.”

UH Orthopaedics will continue to stay engaged, pursing the latest, cost-effective technology to serve our patients, Dr. Voos says.

“There are continued updates to the robots, new implant designs and wearable technology that monitors motion and patient activity after the surgery. We have been able to employ the wearable technology knowledge we've gained from the sports medicine world into helping our patients recover after total joint replacement. Our goal is to continue to develop and explore new technologies, to continue to look into the future.”