Prof. Skowronek: We were the first in the country to create a robot-assisted hip prosthesis

Bródnowski Hospital was the first in Poland to use a robotic arm for hip replacement, Dr. Paweł Skowronek, Medical Director of the Mazovian Bródnowski Hospital, told PAP. We have joined Belgium and Slovakia, which are already using this technology, he added.

On Tuesday, the inaugural procedure using the first robotic arm for hip replacement took place at the Mazowiecki Bródnowski Hospital. Dr. Paweł Skowronek told PAP that Poland has joined Belgium and Slovakia, which are already using this technology. This robotic arm is the first device of its kind in Poland that does not require additional CT scan support or prior diagnostic tests.

"We've been using knee robots for four years, but a robotic arm that also works with the hip joint is the next step in orthopedic development, a novelty at the moment. The hip joint is the most common joint for arthroplasty, and thanks to the robotic arm, prosthesis implantation is optimized," said the professor, adding that "it is possible to achieve optimal prosthesis positioning, minimize limb disparity, achieve the best range of motion for such a joint with the lowest risk of dislocation, and, of course, allow the patient to participate in various activities in the future, including sports."

According to Professor Skowronek, the age limit for prosthetic replacement is decreasing, due to factors such as developing degenerative changes and lifestyle. "The number of prosthetic replacement procedures will also continue to grow in Europe, almost doubling by 2050," he assessed, noting that "patients' expectations are rising; they not only want to walk with or without crutches, as in the past, but now they want to return to normal daily activities, both professional and perhaps sports."

When asked if it was easy to trust artificial intelligence, Professor Skowronek replied that "the beginnings were difficult, but the more often the robotic arm is used, the greater the effects of such optimization and individualization for a given patient." "Even when we don't encounter certain deformities often, but they are present in the robot's system, the robot suggests to us, based on its "larger" data, that in these cases, in its opinion, this will be the most optimal solution. And we often agree with this decision initially or, after analyzing it based on our experience, we modify our solution," he explained.

- It's a bit like having a semi-autonomous car - we hold the steering wheel, we do certain things, in this case operational access, but the endpoint effect is imposed or proposed by such robotic arms - he added.

According to Prof. Skowronek, "the use of this type of arm will also enable 'remote' supervision of the procedure or cooperation between experts and hospitals that will also have this type of 'robots' in the future."

At the Mazowiecki Bródnowski Hospital, approximately 2,000 surgeries are performed annually, including over a thousand hip replacements using the mini-invasive method (MIS DAA technique) – considered one of the most advanced in Poland. (PAP)

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