Robotic Hip Replacement

Hip arthroplasty involves the replacement of the largest joint in the human body. The hip joint is a unique structure consisting of two spherical surfaces: the convex femoral head (thigh bone) and the concave acetabulum within the pelvis.

Significant dysfunction of the hip joint results in severe pain and loss of mobility, often leading to substantial physical limitation for the patient. Hip replacement surgery has transformed not only patients’ physical health but also their overall life expectancy worldwide. For this reason, it was rightfully characterized as the “operation of the century” during the 20th century. Robotic Hip Replacement represents the evolution of conventional hip arthroplasty. Its level of precision can reach up to one-tenth of a millimeter. With the support of advanced technology, the joint is digitally mapped preoperatively, and surgical guidance is performed through a highly sophisticated system that ensures exceptional accuracy and optimal implant positioning. Through digital planning and real-time intraoperative guidance, Robotic Hip Replacement enables a highly predictable, personalized, and precise surgical outcome tailored to each patient’s unique anatomy.

Hip replacement is recommended in the following conditions:

• Hip osteoarthritis, a very common condition after the age of 65, with increased risk associated with excess body weight and lack of physical activity.
• Rheumatoid arthritis and other autoimmune rheumatic diseases, such as systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE).
• Patients who have sustained severe trauma to the hip or pelvis, leading to joint damage and long-term dysfunction.
• Avascular (ischemic) necrosis of the femoral head, a condition in which the blood supply to the hip joint is compromised, resulting in bone collapse and progressive joint destruction.
• Hip fractures, particularly in older adults, where joint replacement may be the most appropriate and definitive treatment option.

Until recently, hip replacement procedures relied primarily on the surgeon’s experience, and there was no precise method for accurately measuring leg length during surgery. In conventional hip replacements, it has been relatively common for patients to experience a noticeable leg length discrepancy between the two lower limbs. With the use of Robotic Hip Replacement, leg length equality is digitally measured and recorded preoperatively, intraoperatively, and postoperatively, ensuring that discrepancies between the lower limbs are effectively prevented.

Key differences and advantages include:

• Digitally guided surgical approach, resulting in reduced soft-tissue trauma.
• Significantly faster recovery time, with reduced need for pain medication and opioid analgesics.
• Preoperative visualization of the expected surgical outcome with high accuracy before the procedure even begins.
• Comprehensive digital analysis of the spine, knee, ankle, and overall body alignment, ensuring optimal biomechanical balance and posture following surgery.

No. Ideally, every patient requiring hip replacement would benefit from robotic-assisted surgery. The primary limitation is not medical, but logistical and financial. The MAKO robotic system involves a significant investment, and not all hospitals are able to acquire this advanced technology. Fortunately, in developed countries such as Australia and the United States, robotic joint replacement procedures already account for approximately 30% of all hip and knee arthroplasties — and this percentage continues to rise steadily as the technology becomes more widely adopted.

The first total hip replacement worldwide was performed in 1960 in England by Sir John Charnley, the pioneer and inventor of modern hip arthroplasty.

In Greece, the first hip replacement procedure was carried out in 1968 by Zaosusis and Emm. Dretakis.

The first robotic hip replacement in Greece was performed in 2014 by K. Dretakis and D. Hissas.

To date, more than 2,500,000 robotic joint replacement procedures have been performed worldwide.

The annual increase in hip replacement surgeries is at least 15% per year.

The growth rate of robotic hip replacements is even more rapid, increasing by approximately 60% annually.