MVSC brings the FIRST SmartRobotics™ total joint surgery system to the Quad Cities with the ONLY team of surgeons certified to use it.
Imagine your average day. Now think about what it would be like without the use of technology. It’s impossible to picture, right? That’s because carefully engineered machines and software are now integral to our daily lives. Technology is only getting smarter, more accurate and more efficient – the result? Better outcomes.
This trend of advanced technology is no different in healthcare. Mississippi Valley Surgery Center is leading the way with yet another landmark achievement in innovation: bringing the FIRST Mako Robotic-Arm Assisted Surgery System to the Quad Cities with the ONLY team of surgeons certified to use this groundbreaking technology. MVSC is one of less than 50 centers nationwide transforming outpatient joint replacement with the use of SmartRobotics™.
Transforming outpatient joint replacement surgery
Mississippi Valley Surgery Center’s new Mako Robotic-Arm Assisted Surgery System uses CT-based 3D modeling of bone anatomy, allowing surgeons to create a personalized surgical plan based on each patient’s unique anatomy.
During surgery, the Mako System also provides real-time data to the surgeon to continuously assess the movement and tension of the new joint, allowing for surgical plan adjustments if needed. Mako’s AccuStop™ haptic technology also guides the surgeon to operate with the highest possible precision.
Utilizing SmartRobotics™ for joint replacements revolutionizes patient outcomes which is exactly why adopting this proven method was the next innovative step for the MVSC team.
“We’re constantly evaluating the latest technology in order to provide successful outcomes for our patients and up the game for healthcare in the Quad Cities,” said Michael Patterson, CEO of Mississippi Valley Surgery Center. “That has always been our focus. Great innovation demands great expertise which is why we’re not only bringing in the Mako, but the experts who are certified to use it.”
Experts in innovation: Meet Dr. Cagle
MVSC has the Quad Cities’ first and ONLY team of surgeons who are certified to use the Mako technology. The SmartRobotics™ team is led by the newest member of Orthopaedic Specialists’ surgical team, Dr. Robert Cagle.
Formerly based in Santa Cruz, California, Dr. Cagle joins the practice with extensive experience in robotics, and specifically, the Mako Robotic-Arm Assisted Surgery System. He is fellowship-trained at Cleveland Clinic in hip preservation and sports medicine/trauma and has experience with professional athletics. Today, he believes this technology is the future of outpatient joint replacement.
“One of the things that I’ve really dedicated my professional life to is how can we truly be minimally invasive,” Dr. Cagle said. “Technology is a big part of advancing surgical technique. That’s where the future is going and that’s what we’re bringing to the Quad Cities area.”
“When I learned about Dr. Hoffman and the practice he had built in the Quad Cities in the last 30 years, I became really interested. It’s something I knew I wanted to be a part of,” Dr. Cagle said.
Having performed more than 400 robotic-assisted surgeries, Dr. Cagle will share his expertise by cross-training the total joint team at MVSC including Director of Orthopaedic Surgery Dr. John Hoffman and orthopaedic surgeon Dr. Tuvi Mendel.
It was a pursuit of perfection within the outpatient joint industry that sparked Dr. Cagle’s interest in robotics.
“Classically, when you look at studies in the past five years or prior, total knee replacements had about an 80 percent success rate as defined by patients being happy with their outcome one year from their surgery,” Dr. Cagle said. “In my humble opinion, that’s unacceptable. We need patient outcomes to be at 99 percent. That’s why I started looking into robotics.”
A personalized joint replacement, every time
Using Mako’s CT-based 3D technology, surgeons can now know every detail of the joint before surgery – allowing each patient to receive a personalized surgical plan.
“The fact that we can offer custom knee or hip replacement surgery based on the patient’s own anatomy and no two people get the same replacement surgery is unparalleled,” Dr. Cagle said.
With this level of planning, decisions such as the joint implant size, orientation and alignment can be determined before the surgery even begins.
“The Mako technology allows you to look at the 3D scan of the patient’s anatomy and determine – before you get to the operating room – where you want to put the components,” said Dr. Cagle. “The degree of accuracy is groundbreaking for patient outcomes. It means lower complication rates and lower dislocation rates.”
The team at MVSC has performed more than 3,000 total joint surgeries since 2007, utilizing the latest minimally invasive techniques – the Mako system furthers that cornerstone.
“I don’t need to touch ligaments other than when I need to see the bone. You can respect the soft tissue anatomy,” Dr. Cagle said. “This level of minimally invasive customized surgery was considered space-aged only five years ago. Today, it’s state-of-the-art.”
No guesswork brings better patient outcomes
Not only does the Mako Robotic-Arm Assisted Surgery System allow for better planning, it also increases accuracy and precision.
In the operating room, the surgeon guides Mako’s robotic arm to remove unhealthy bone and cartilage from the joint. Mako’s AccuStop™ haptic technology provides tactile resistance that guides the surgeon to precisely cut what is defined in the surgical plan and helps protect the healthy bone. When the implant is ready to be placed, the robotic arm guides the implant at the desired angle defined in the surgical plan which helps ensure proper placement and alignment.
Throughout surgery, the Mako technology provides real-time data to the surgeon that allows for continuous assessment of the movement and tension of the new joint and surgical plan adjustments if desired. Dr. Cagle notes that it is not autonomous, however. It’s a powerful tool, but it’s best deployed with an experienced surgeon.
“I joke with my patients, I don’t just sit in the corner and let The Terminator do its thing,” Dr. Cagle said. “It is critical to be a skilled surgeon at your core to operate this technology. You have to be well-versed in the fundamentals of hip and knee replacements and use the technology to take you to the next level.”
When compared to manual surgery, SmartRobotics™ for joint replacement has been associated with less pain, less need for opiate analgesics, less need for inpatient physical therapy, improved knee and hip flexion and soft tissue protection.
Where innovation is right at home
While the Mako System is finding a new home in the Quad Cities, so is Dr. Cagle.
“If you head down I-80 about three hours from the Quad Cities, you’ll meet my brother, my two sisters and my 15 or so nieces and nephews,” Dr. Cagle said. Originally from Indiana, he jumped at the opportunity to move back to the region to be closer to family and raise his three children with his wife. Hearing about MVSC’s dedication to innovation sealed the deal.
“When I was looking at practices, there were probably over 20 opportunities all over the country. Dr. Hoffman’s expertise with outpatient joint replacement made me excited to join the team and bring my utmost A-game of joint replacement to the Quad Cities area,” he said.
As Dr. Cagle joins the experienced team of MVSC total joint orthopaedic surgeons, he looks forward to providing surgery experiences patients can truly feel good about.
“One of the most rewarding benefits is when a patient has recovered from surgery and says, ‘No offense, Dr. Cagle, but I don’t have to see you anymore.’ That’s when I know I’ve succeeded.”
To learn more about the Mako Robotic-Arm Assisted Surgery System and Dr. Robert Cagle, visit mvhealth.net/mako, email mako@mvhealth.net or call 563-344-MORE (6673).