Robotic Hip & Knee Replacement

Hip and knee replacement is one of the most effective operations in modern orthopaedics — but its long-term success depends on getting the details right: implant size, alignment, soft-tissue balance, limb-length restoration. Robotic hip and knee replacement uses a surgeon-controlled robotic arm with three-dimensional planning from the patient’s own imaging to do exactly that, with millimetric accuracy.

What it is

Before surgery, a CT or other imaging study of the joint is used to build a three-dimensional model of the patient’s anatomy. The operation is planned on that model: implant choice, position, and alignment, and the surrounding soft-tissue balance. In theatre, the robotic arm guides the bony cuts and implant positioning to that plan, within tight tolerances, while the surgeon remains in full control of every step. The robot is a precision tool, not an autonomous operator.

Who is a candidate?

A robotic version is considered for the same indications as conventional hip or knee replacement:

• Advanced arthritis of the hip or knee causing persistent pain and loss of function
• Severe joint damage from previous injury or inflammatory disease
• Symptoms that have not responded adequately to non-surgical treatment
• Patients who are otherwise medically fit for joint-replacement surgery

The decision considers the degree of damage, the patient’s symptoms and functional goals, and their general health.

How it is performed

In broad terms:

1. A pre-operative CT or imaging study builds a three-dimensional model of the patient’s joint.
2. The surgeon plans implant position, alignment, and soft-tissue balance on that model.
3. In theatre, the robotic arm guides the bony cuts to the plan within tight tolerances.
4. Implants are positioned and trial-reduced; balance and motion are verified in real time.
5. The plan is refined intra-operatively if needed; the operation is completed and the wound closed.

Anaesthesia, blood-loss management, and the rest of the surgical sequence are the same as for conventional joint replacement.

Benefits and risks

The benefits of the robotic approach are more precise implant position, more reliable soft-tissue balance and limb-length restoration, and — in published series — better alignment than conventional technique. These can translate into smoother function and longer implant survival.

The risks are those of joint replacement generally: infection, blood clots, dislocation or instability, nerve or vessel injury, fracture around the implant, implant loosening or wear over time, and the general risks of anaesthesia. The robotic component does not eliminate these but is designed to reduce errors of positioning.

Alternatives

Many hip and knee problems are managed without replacement, using physiotherapy, pain management, weight optimisation, injections, activity modification, and joint-preserving operations. Conventional (non-robotic) joint replacement remains an excellent operation in skilled hands; the robotic version is a refinement of the same procedure for surgeons trained in it.

Dr. Garg’s approach & experience

Dr. Garg combines his complex-spine training with a substantial joint-replacement practice and uses robotic and navigation platforms where they add measurable accuracy. His focus is honest patient selection — using the technology only where it makes a difference, not as a marketing line.

When to seek a specialist opinion

A specialist assessment is appropriate for persistent hip or knee pain that limits daily activities and has not improved with non-surgical treatment, for severe arthritis on imaging, or after a significant joint injury. Earlier review allows non-operative options to be exhausted first and surgery to be planned at the right time.