Portsmouth QA patient able to walk 24 hours after first ever NHS robot knee replacement surgery

TWENTY-FOUR hours after knee replacement surgery, Diane Proudlock was up and walking about thanks to a groundbreaking new technology that is set to reduce pain and recovery time.
The Stryker Mako robotThe Stryker Mako robot
The Stryker Mako robot

The 72-year-old from Clanfield was one of the first patients to have knee surgery using the new Stryker Mako robot at Queen Alexandra Hospital in Cosham – which is the first NHS trust in the country to use it.

The revolutionary robotic-arm assisted surgery means surgeons can perform the operations with more accuracy, reducing pain and recovery times.

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It will also save money for Portsmouth Hospitals NHS Trust as there is less need for pain relief and patients can be discharged from hospital sooner.

The Stryker Mako robotThe Stryker Mako robot
The Stryker Mako robot

Diane had knee replacement surgery 14 years ago and it took eight weeks to put her foot down but just a day after surgery this year she could walk and bend her knee 90 degrees.

The retiree said: ‘I was putting off having a knee replacement as I had an operation on my other knee where a plate was put in to realign it and the recovery time was terrible.

‘It was almost eight weeks until I could put my foot to the floor, so another operation was not something I wanted.’

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After surgery Diane spent two nights in hospital and after two weeks the staples from the incision were removed.

Diane Proudlock with husband RonDiane Proudlock with husband Ron
Diane Proudlock with husband Ron

She said: ‘I am just taking paracetamol and am not in any pain. It’s a little sore at times, but that’s all.

‘The robot is brilliant technology and I am lucky to be one of the first people to be able to use it. It’s amazing and I can’t fault it in any way.’

The surgery is expected to reduce pain thanks to the robot’s ability to customise each implant’s size and position.

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Consultant orthopaedic surgeon Jeremy Rushbrook said: ‘Every patient is different and when you position every knee replacement in the same way, it doesn’t always replicate the patient’s original alignment.

‘This can put increased strain on the ligaments around the knee, and is one of the reasons that we believe make people dissatisfied after a knee replacement.’

The robot can be used for full and partial knee replacements as well as hip replacements.

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