Sunway Medical Centre (SMC), one of Malaysia’s leading smart hospitals, has succeeded in carrying out the country’s first robot-assisted joint replacement procedure.

This milestone achievement, important in the provision of better mobility and healthcare options for senior citizens, comes as part of the hospital’s diligent investment into state-of-the-art smart hospital technology to improve patient care and precision medicine.

As with many ailments, the risk of developing arthritis increases with age. The health of our joints is crucial in allowing us to carry out essential daily activities, and when they become injured or diseased, the resulting pain and stiffness can severely limit one’s ability to use their joints and move comfortably.

The most effective solution to improve these conditions is total joint replacement surgery–especially so for areas such as the knees and hips. These types of procedures are some of the most cost-effective and consistently successful surgeries performed in orthopaedics in recent years. Undergoing total joint replacement surgery provides pain relief from arthritis, functional restoration of arthritic joints, as well as improving overall health and comfort in patients.

REVOLUTIONISING TOTAL JOINT REPLACEMENT SURGERY

To accurately operate and insert the artificial joints, assistive technologies such as navigation systems and robotic assistance have been in development over the recent years. In a future-forward step toward improving the way total joint replacement surgery is conducted at their hospital, SMC is using two advanced robotic systems to assist in these procedures. Both systems enhance the process of joint replacement by providing a CT-derived, patient-specific 3D model that grants the surgeon the ability to pre-plan the procedure and thus enable accurate planning of implant size and alignment. These futuristic systems also allow surgeons to conduct a ‘virtual’ hip or knee replacement before performing any actual resections.

Dr Chua Hwa Sen, Consultant Orthopedic and Arthroplasty Surgeon at Sunway Medical Centre, Sunway City, explains that the new system is revolutionary in its unique ability to provide the patient with a personalised surgical experience that is specifically tailored to their individual needs and anatomy. “With this technology, we are able to facilitate a higher accuracy of implant placement and conduct a successful operation with minimal invasiveness. This, in turn, also allowed the patient to experience less post operative pain and a quicker recovery,” he said.

“This highly intelligent and adaptive technology has allowed us to demonstrate an elevated level of accuracy and less alignment outliers in total knee arthroplasties compared to its conventional procedure, giving me hope that we are truly providing our patients with the best possible smart hospital technology to improve their lives,” said Dr Suhail Suresh Abdullah, Consultant Orthopaedical, Arthroplasty and Trauma Surgeon at Sunway Medical Centre, Sunway City.

A QUICK RETURN TO PAINLESS MOBILITY

Among the many benefits seen in patients in their recovery from robot-assisted surgery include less scarring, minimal blood loss, and a quicker return to their normal daily activities. When compared to minimally invasive conventional surgery, a large portion of respondents mentioned they considered robot-assisted surgery to be safer, more efficient, less painful, and yielding better results post-operation.

With the integration of these state-of-the-art robotic systems, SMC continues to solidify its position as one of the country’s pioneers in the healthcare industry. The hospital intends to continue strengthening investments in smart hospital technology, keeping in line with its commitment to precision medicine and to expand SMC’s regional leadership in robotic surgery.

ABOUT SUNWAY MEDICAL CENTRE, SUNWAY CITY

Sunway Medical Centre is a leading private tertiary medical centre in Malaysia and is committed to becoming a world-class healthcare of choice. The hospital offers a comprehensive range of medical services, which include facilities and advanced medical technologies for outpatient and in patient specialty care, health and wellness programmes and 24-hour emergency services. These are supported by a strong system comprising more than 2,600 dedicated healthcare professionals.

Sunway Medical Centre is well recognised for an accolade of achievements. The hospital is an Australian Council on Healthcare Standards (ACHS) accredited, Malaysian Society for Quality in Health (MSQH) accredited private hospital and Frost & Sullivan’s 2021 Malaysia Smart Hospital Company of the Year. Expected to grow to an over-1,000-bed hospital by 2022, Sunway Medical Centre is poised to set new standards of service.

For more information on Sunway Medical Centre’s use of robotic technology, please visit www.sunwaymedicalcentre.com.