Macau completes first robot-assisted partial knee replacement

The Islands Healthcare Complex – Macao Medical Center of Peking Union Medical College Hospital (PUMCH) announced it has completed the city’s first robot-assisted unicompartmental knee replacement.

The recent procedure used the Mako robotic-arm-assisted knee system, developed by Stryker, which can perform multiple types of joint surgeries.

In the city’s first case, surgeons replaced only the damaged portion of the knee rather than performing a total replacement, thereby preserving ligaments, cartilage, and bone. The patient was an elderly man with longstanding medial knee pain, and he underwent the procedure through an 8- to 10-centimeter incision.

According to PUMCH, doctors used CT imaging to create a 3D model of the patient’s knee, enabling precise planning of implant placement. During surgery, the robotic arm performed bone cutting within defined safety limits, guided by tactile feedback to avoid surrounding tissue.

According to the statement, the patient was able to stand and walk short distances with assistance the day after surgery. The hospital also noted that postoperative pain was lower than expected and that recovery was faster than with traditional procedures.

Hospital officials said this type of surgery offers advantages, including preservation of healthy tissue, faster recovery, and improved joint function. They added that robotic assistance helps standardize complex procedures and enhance safety.

They added that they plan to expand the use of robotic systems to deliver more personalized orthopedic treatments.