Clinical Overview of the Robotic Surgical Assistant (ROSA®)

Description

In this presentation, consultant knee surgeon Akash Sharma from Birmingham discusses his journey and experience with ROSA, a robotic surgical system, in the field of knee arthroplasty. He opens with a warm greeting and acknowledges Dinesh for the invitation to speak. Sharma reflects on the growth of his hospital in Northfield, where they perform around 1,200 elective total knee replacements annually, with plans to increase capacity.



He candidly shares his initial feelings of inexperience and uncertainty in his earlier career compared to the growing responsibility he felt as a consultant. Transitioning from conventional surgical techniques, symbolized by a wooden racquet, Sharma embraced robotic systems to enhance surgical accuracy and reduce outlier results.



Sharma highlights the increasing interest in robotics for knee replacements, emphasizing the need to improve patient outcomes and alignments. He provides a critical examination of existing literature about knee replacement outcomes, with evidence suggesting that a significant percentage of patients are dissatisfied post-surgery. He sues this context to question traditional alignment strategies and the search for better outcomes using robotics.



Discussing his initial experiences with ROSA, Sharma highlights the system's precision and efficiency, mentioning that he has conducted 51 surgeries with it since its acquisition in October 2020. He reviews how ROSA assists in achieving accurate cuts and placements during surgery, contributing to better surgical outcomes.



Sharma discusses his learning curve with robotic surgery and shares anecdotal evidence of positive outcomes, despite the challenges posed by the COVID-19 pandemic. He emphasizes the importance of continuous questioning and adaptation of surgical techniques and expresses enthusiasm for incorporating new technologies, such as AI and wearable devices, into surgical practices to further enhance patient care.



He concludes by inviting attendees to consider the future of robotic surgery and the potential integration of advanced technologies into their practice for improved knee replacements.

Specialties