South Shore Hospital First On Long Island To Use ROSA Knee System

Press release from Northwell Health:

March 13, 2021

South Shore University Hospital (SSUH) is the first on Long Island to perform total knee replacement surgeries with the Zimmer Biomet ROSA Knee System. ROSA Knee is a robotically assisted surgical system designed to help perform total knee replacement surgery. The assistance of ROSA, which stands for Robotic Surgical Assistant, provides a greater degree of accuracy for the orthopedic surgeon and a quicker return to daily activities for the patient.

“A total knee replacement isn’t just a bony surgery, but rather a soft tissue balancing surgery,” said Michael Nett, MD, chair of Orthopaedic Surgery at SSUH. “Using the robot, I can evaluate the patient’s range of motion during surgery and assess the ligament tension throughout the knees’ range of motion. Attention on the soft tissues and ligaments is really what is most important to give you a knee that is functionally stable and allows a patient to get back to their normal activities.”

Real-time data provided by ROSA Knee alerts surgeons to minuscule movement a patient’s leg may make during surgery. In addition, advanced modeling technology provides a way for surgeons to create three-dimensional models of a patient’s joint using images obtained by x-rays. The technology allows a personalized surgical plan to be formulated by thoroughly reviewing each patient’s anatomy prior to surgery.

“Robotics have become an integral part of our joint replacement program, which recently received accreditation as an Advanced Center of Excellence in Knee and Hip Replacement from the joint commission,” said Keith Reinhardt, MD, chief of Joint Reconstruction at South Shore. “The addition of robotics is in line with our pursuit of enhancing our patients’ recovery and our commitment to becoming the preferred destination for joint replacement in the region.”

Total knee replacement is one of the most performed elective surgical procedures in the United States with approximately 700,000 conducted in a year.

“For everyone involved – surgeons, medical staff and, most importantly, patients – ROSA Knee has the potential to offer a number of key benefits and advantages,” said Donna Moravick, SSUH’s executive director. “We know the decision to have joint replacement is often a difficult one for patients to make, and we believe having these robotically-assisted technologies close to home have the potential to make it an easier one moving forward.”

SSUH has been performing total joint replacement surgeries on patients who are able to leave the hospital on the same day for a few years. The addition of this technology is in line with SSUH’s commitment to surgical excellence and growth from a community hospital into a tertiary trauma center.

To book an appointment with one of our fellowship trained surgeons or to learn more about robotic total knee replacement surgery, call 631-647-3800.

This press release was produced by Northwell Health. The views expressed here are the author's own.