A new robotic system at Mercy Health offers patients a high-tech way to have their knees replaced — and doctors a more precise way of replacing them.

The NAVIO knee-replacement system helps create a precise image of the knee, using a robotics-assisted hand piece that relays patient-specific information to an advanced computer program. The process creates a 3-D model of the joint, eliminating the need for a CT scan or MRI prior to the operation.

“With the robot we collect data about the patient's knee, we utilize that data to create a 3-D model on the computer screen, and then once we create that model we can fit the knee-replacement prosthesis to the model exactly how we want it and use the computer or robot to implement that plan,” said Dr. Richard Miller, orthopedic surgeon.

The robot is actually a combination of devices. Arrays are attached to the thigh bone and femur. A camera captures the data as the surgeon uses a probe on the patient’s knee to map the area.

The computer then creates an image of the area to be removed. The plan familiarizes the surgeon with the joint, and the surgeon can simulate the plan, then perform the surgery. If the surgeon deviates from the plan for any reason, the cutting tool stops, making sure no more bone is removed than necessary.

“Even if I fell asleep, it would not allow me to cut more bone than I should,” Dr. Miller said.

Mercy Health acquired the system in December and has performed 25 knee replacements with it so far.

“In the tradition that Mercy has had in embracing technology for robotic surgery the natural progression for us has been going into the field of orthopedics for robotics,” Dr. Miller said. “The biggest thing I appreciate about this is it allows me to have a lot more information to make decisions to put in the prosthesis for the patient.”

First Published March 23, 2018, 11:00 a.m.