For knee replacement patients who want to return to a more active lifestyle, robot-assisted arthroplasty offers another level of precision to fine-tune the alignment of the new joint.

“Not every patient is going to select to have a robot-assisted procedure done, because the standard instrumentation can produce a fantastic result,” said Jeffrey Stimac, M.D. “But some patients who maybe want to stay more active may like the idea that we can really fine tune the position of the knee replacement.”

The greater precision allows the surgeon to get closer to restoring the patient’s normal anatomy and balance the soft tissues, according to Dr. Stimac, and the better alignment also may help patients recover faster and end pain medication sooner.

Norton Orthopedic Institute is the first and currently only provider in the Louisville area to use the latest in knee replacement precision — the ROSA Knee System. Unlike some other robotic surgical devices, ROSA leaves the surgeon in charge of the whole procedure. The robot is just another tool, though a very sophisticated one.

“I think when a patient comes to a doctor they’re coming for that doctor’s expertise,” Dr. Stimac said. “With ROSA, the surgeon is still the one doing the operation, making all the decisions while the robot provides information that helps us get it exactly how we want it.”

The system doesn’t rely on computed tomography (CT) scans and the accompanying radiation risks. The ROSA Knee System uses sensors on X-ray images to create a 3D picture. The images assist in identifying the correct size and exact placement of the implant.