Patients at Ipswich and Colchester Hospital receiving knee replacement care could have a quicker recovery thanks to a new handheld robotic device.

The device helps surgeons at the East Suffolk and North Essex NHS Foundation (ESNEFT) Trust to map inside the patients' knees and accurately plan surgery before a single cut is made on the joint.

The NAVIO robotic-assisted surgical device is hoped to improve outcomes – including faster recoveries – for patients having partial knee replacements.

Ipswich Star: Tim Parratt and Mahbub Alam with the NAVIO surgical device which could lead to quicker recovery times for patientsTim Parratt and Mahbub Alam with the NAVIO surgical device which could lead to quicker recovery times for patients (Image: ESNEFT)

The system, known as the handheld robotic burr, which is in place at Colchester Hospital can be used by the surgeon to remove exactly the right amount of cartilage and bone to prepare an implant which is aligned bespoke to the patient.

It is hoped that the increased accuracy offered by the technology will mean ESNEFT's surgeons can carry out more operations as partial knee replacements rather than replacing the entire joint, which should lead to faster recovery times.

Tim Parratt, consultant orthopaedic surgeon, said: “Our ambition at ESNEFT is to offer the very best orthopaedic care in the country,”

“As such, we are delighted that we are now able to carry out robotic-assisted knee replacement surgery.

“With a conventional knee replacement, you need to cut and shape the bone before testing with trials to see whether that construct is balanced, aligned and with a good range of motion, then deal with adjustments accordingly.

"Using this technology means you can check all these parameters in a virtual or simulated version first, and before the main part of surgery even begins.

“As well as possibly improving outcomes, we hope that this will make sure all of our patients have the best possible experience when receiving orthopaedic care at our hospitals.

“I’d really like to thank the innovation and finance teams at the trust for all their hard work in making this type of technology a reality for the clinicians.”

A simulation can also be performed which shows the surgeon how the virtual knee replacement will perform throughout the range of motion.

Consultant orthopaedic surgeon Mr Mahbub Alam added: “We hope that this equipment will allow us to carry out more partial knee replacements, help people get home sooner and get them functioning more quickly too.”