A Collaborative Innovation Research Program on Patient Decision-Making, Technology, and Outcomes for Robotic-Assisted Knee Arthroplasty Surgery

The ultimate treatment of end stage osteoarthritis is joint replacement surgery. Over the past several decades there have been important innovations in the design and customization of implants, but many patients continue to be burdened with persistent poor outcomes after surgery, particularly with respect to unmet expectations around mobility and their ability to function and participate fully as desired. The next frontier for innovation is how to treat patients individually to customize the timing, type and particular details of their surgery to maximize the potential for a successful surgery. Our team has been working collaboratively for many decades in introducing technology to the clinical field of joint replacement surgery. Until recently, the information gained could not be readily used at the time of surgery. However, with the recent advent of robotic surgery systems for joint replacement, we can precisely plan and execute custom surgeries specific to a patient’s needs. The program described will introduce and combine technologies and data modeling before and after robotic joint replacement surgery to provide the needed information to customize surgery to the individual patient.

Faculty Supervisor:

Janie Wilson

Student:

Partner:

Nova Scotia Health Authority

Discipline:

Engineering

Sector:

Health and Related Sciences and Technology; Technology; Biomanufacturing

University:

Dalhousie University

Program: