DECATUR, Ill. (WAND) - A doctor at Decatur Memorial Hospital just performed his 1,000th procedure with the help of a robot named Mako.
Dr. Edmund Raycraft has been performing procedures using the Mako Robotic Arm Assisted Surgery System since 2016.
The technology uses three-dimensional CT scans to provide surgeons with a high level of accuracy.
“The Mako robot takes some of the uncertainty out of these procedures,” Raycraft said. “Even a very experienced orthopedic surgeon can’t match the precision it provides. Higher accuracy in cutting and positioning means less damage to healthy tissue and bone, which means less pain and a shorter recovery for the patient.”
Raycraft’s recent procedures using the Mako system include 651 full or partial knee replacements and 363 hip replacements.
The Mako robotic arm is able to make small but significant adjustments during the procedure. This lets the surgeon tailor the procedure to each patient’s joint.
“Orthopedic surgery is very precise,” Raycraft said. “With a knee replacement, for example, a millimeter or two can make a huge difference in a patient’s recovery time and post-procedure quality of life. Increased precision can even help extend the lifespan of the replacement joint, preventing patients from having repeated surgeries in years to come.”
Raycraft is considered one of the most proficient users of Mako technology in the Midwest.
Decatur Memorial Hospital is the fourth-largest user of Mako in the region.
“Technology doesn’t fundamentally change the way we approach these surgeries,” Raycraft said. “What it does is allow us to remove some of the guesswork that was inherent in joint replacements for decades.”
