Minimally invasive procedure to treat early to mid-stage osteoarthritis can reduce post-surgical pain and facilitate quicker rehabilitation

DeLand, Fla., January 27, 2009 - Florida Hospital DeLand announces Mark Hollmann, MD, Orthopaedic Surgeon, performed the first MAKOplasty^®, a new, minimally invasive partial knee resurfacing, procedure in Central Florida. This treatment is used to treat early to mid-stage osteoarthritis and offers a more precise and consistent result that can provide relief and a rapid return to daily activities. 

"MAKOplasty allows us to treat patients with knee osteoarthritis at earlier stages and with greater precision.  The procedure is designed to provide quicker recovery and improved outcomes for patients," said Dr. Hollmann, MD.

Through its innovative use of technology, MAKOplasty^® takes partial knee resurfacing to a new level of precision.  When performing MAKOplasty^®, doctors utilize MAKO's surgeon-interactive tactile robotic arm and 3-D virtual visualization system.

This system provides the surgeon a pre-surgical plan that details the technique for bone preparation and implant positioning using a CT scan of the patient's knee. During the procedure, the system creates a three-dimensional live-action, virtual view of the patient's bone surface and correlates the image to the pre-programmed surgical plan.  As the surgeon uses the robotic arm, its tactile, acoustic and visual feedback limits the bone preparation to the diseased areas and provides for more optimal implant positioning and placement.   

Most MAKOplasty^® patients experience a shorter hospital stay, quicker rehabilitation and a smaller scar.  In addition, many are able to return to an active lifestyle within weeks of the procedure.

The opportunity for early intervention is important as osteoarthritis (OA) is the most common form of arthritis and a leading cause of disability worldwide, according to the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons (AAOS).  Specifically, the AAOS indicates that osteoarthritis of the knee is one of the five leading causes of disability among the elderly, and that the risk for disability attributable to Knee OA is as great as that attributable to cardiovascular disease.

For more information, contact the Florida Hospital DeLand Marketing and Public Relations Department, 386-943-4748.

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Florida Hospital DeLand, located at 701 West Plymouth Avenue in DeLand, was established in 1962 and is a 156-bed acute-care hospital. Florida Hospital DeLand is a part of the Adventist Health System; the largest Protestant not-for-profit hospital system in the nation and works to provide exceptional, patient-focused care to the DeLand community.

For more information about MAKO® Surgical, visit http://makosurgical.com/