The future is now at Elmhurst Hospital Center. NYC Health + Hospitals announced that it has acquired the Stryker Mako SmartRobotics system to perform robotic-assisted hip and knee replacement procedures. This new surgical option at Elmhurst Hospital offers patients a minimally invasive alternative for total hip, total knee and partial knee replacements.
The highly advanced technology used in robotic surgery for joint replacement enables patients to recover faster and more effectively. Elmhurst Hospital is the first within the city’s public hospital system to introduce the Mako robotic surgical procedure.
“NYC Health + Hospitals/Elmhurst is happy to be able to offer the Stryker Mako SmartRobotics system as an option for our patients,” said NYC Health + Hospitals/Elmhurst CEO Helen Arteaga Landaverde. “This demonstrates our commitment to providing the highest quality health care to our orthopedic patients as well as our continuing efforts to embrace advanced technology so that our community has the care it needs and deserves.”
Mako SmartRobotics is a treatment option designed to relieve the pain caused by joint degeneration due to osteoarthritis. During surgery, the surgeon guides the robotic arm during bone preparation to execute the predetermined surgical plan and position the implant. Studies have shown that robotic-arm assisted joint replacement surgery leads to greater accuracy of implant position compared to manual partial joint replacement procedures. Other benefits for patients include less pain, less need for opiate analgesics, less need for inpatient physical therapy, and a reduction in length of hospital stay.
“The Mako robotic system, which combines 3D CT-based planning with data analytics, allows us to create a more personalized plan for each patient based on their unique anatomy before surgery,” said Dr. Rohit Hasija, Elmhurst’s Hip and Knee Program director. “During surgery, we can then confirm that plan and adjust if needed, all the while guiding a surgical robotic arm to perform that plan. We are thrilled to be able to offer these advanced techniques as part f the care we provide as we believe them to lead to better outcomes for total knee, total hip, and partial knee patients.”
NYC Health + Hospitals also announced the reopening of the Neponsit Adult Day Health Center in Rockaway Park, which closed in March 2020 at the start of the COVID-19 pandemic. The center, located at 230 Beach 102nd St., provides on-site services for approximately 50 patients daily.
“We are excited to welcome our registrants back,” said Khoi Luong, DO, Senior Vice President for Post-Acute Care. “The center plays a vital role in the lives of our registrants, and we know that the pandemic has been a huge disruption in their lives. While the center was closed, our social workers stayed in touch with every registrant to ensure that their care needs were being met. Today is like a homecoming.”
Originally opened in 1988, the center has provided services including nursing, physical therapy, nutrition assessment, occupational therapy, medical social services, psychosocial assessment, rehabilitation and socialization, and coordination of referrals for outpatient health. Those interested in learning more about the center and its services can call 718-634-1400. The center accepts Medicaid, private payment, and some health insurers.