First patient undergoes robotic-assisted knee surgery at Halton Hospital

A Warrington man has become the first patient at North Cheshire and Mersey NHS Foundation Trust to undergo knee replacement surgery using the new ROSA robotic surgical assistant.

Andrew Robinson, 66, from Dallam in Warrington, underwent a full knee replacement using the ROSA Knee System on Friday 4 September in the theatres at the Captain Sir Tom Moore (CSTM) Building at Halton Hospital. He was cared for on the CSTM Ward and was able to leave hospital the following day.

Before his operation, Andrew’s knee was causing significant pain and had started to affect his everyday life.

A retired HGV mechanic, Andrew had always enjoyed being active, but found that walking had become increasingly difficult and he was restricted to shorter distances.

Following his surgery, Andrew has been pleased with his recovery and is already walking with greater ease.

He said: “My knee was worn out and I was in a lot of pain, so I couldn’t walk very far. When the consultant spoke to me about using ROSA, I was happy to go ahead. He explained everything to me and I trusted him.

“The whole experience was really good. The team were great and everyone looked after me. My recovery has been going well and I'm surprised by how much movement I already have. The scar is really neat and I can definitely tell my knee is better than it was before.

“I’m looking forward to getting back to longer walks with my wife Debbie and getting back on my bike. We’re also hoping to get a motorhome next year, so I’m looking forward to being able to enjoy doing those things again.”

The procedure was carried out by Mr Gareth Stables, consultant trauma and orthopaedic surgeon at North Cheshire and Mersey NHS Foundation Trust.

He said: “Andrew’s surgery went very well, with the operation taking around 80 minutes, which is well within the expected timeframe for a total knee replacement.

“The theatre team worked extremely well together throughout the procedure, and we also had excellent support from Zimmer Biomet, helping the whole process run smoothly from start to finish.

“It’s fantastic to now have our first patient through this new service. We’re looking forward to offering robotic-assisted knee replacement surgery to more patients over the coming weeks and months.”

The ROSA Knee System provides surgeons with detailed information about a patient’s individual knee anatomy before and during surgery. It creates a three-dimensional picture of the knee and provides live measurements during the procedure, supporting the surgeon with planning and positioning of the implant.

The surgeon remains fully in control of the operation, with ROSA acting as an additional tool to support clinical decision-making during surgery.

For Andrew, the biggest difference is already being able to move more freely.

He said: “I would definitely recommend it. I’m really pleased with how things have gone so far.”

The introduction of robotic-assisted knee replacement surgery is part of North Cheshire and Mersey NHS Foundation Trust’s ongoing work to develop its orthopaedic services and provide patients across Cheshire and Merseyside with access to new approaches to treatment closer to home.