Robotic TKR at Mayo not to be assumed

Posted by Paul @phoenixpal, Jan 27, 2020

I'm scheduled for TKR Feb 20th (Mayo Phoenix). Next week I go in for orientation class, pre-surgery tests and imaging/measurements.

But, I only found out by accident that I was not scheduled to have a robot assisted TKR. Here I was assuming that at Mayo, it was a given. Fortunately the machine is available and is now reserved for my operation.

It just makes me wonder what the criteria is. And of course is my insurance now going to charge extra because I requested the robot ? :-/

Anecdotally, I just heard that an acquaintance's dad just had his second knee done without the robot that he had had for his 1st knee, and the recovery is turning out to be much more difficult for the non-robotic surgery than was the robotic one.

Interested in more discussions like this? Go to the Joint Replacements Support Group.

The doctor I worked with also used many different kinds of artificial knees, so I had to directly request robotic arm surgery. Also they need to evaluate whether your knee will work with the knee that has to be used with the robotic arm. In a way it is probably good that the surgeons do not ally with one company, as does our local orthopedic center, where robotic arm is not an option. So perhaps they did not understand that you wanted a robotic arm surgery? I think there is evidence that the recovery is overall faster and better for the robotic arm as compared with traditional, but of course that won't be the case for everyone. It's good to also have some anecdotal evidence, as provided by your acquaintance's dad. I wonder why he decided to go without the robot on the second surgery? For insurance, it usually costs a bit more because of the CT 3D scan; my insurance covered it but not all do. Good luck.

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@phoenixpal I have heard of people who had two TKRs done at the same time and the results were not the same for both legs so your acquaintance's experience may or may not be from not the second TKR not being done with Mako surgery.
JK

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@contentandwell Yes you are right, in the case of one individual even the exact same operation on two knees can produce different results. All we can do is look at clinical studies that aggregate the experience of many individuals.

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I hope you will post your experience when you are done with the surgery and able to function, @phoenixpal as we all can benefit from learning more.

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