TUCSON, Ariz. (KGUN) — Carondelet Health Network introduced the Mako 4 robotic surgical system to the Tucson community about two months ago. Patients can now benefit from this advanced technology for joint replacement at Carondelet St. Joseph’s Hospital.
Orthopedic surgeons at St. Joseph's like Dr. Brett Haywood have already been using this system for about three years to perform knee and hip replacements, but Mako 4 is the updated version offering several enhancements.
"This latest version, we'll soon be able to do shoulder replacement surgery," Dr. Haywood said. "Any kind of redo replacement. It'll be able to soon be able to handle that as well.”
Dr. Haywood said the technology allows for more precision and less room for error.
"So what we do is first we get a CT scan of the joint, or in my case, I mostly just use it for knees, knee replacements, and then we plug that information into a computer that we have in the OR (operation room) with us, and that allows to see the knee or the joint in 3D. And then with that, we can plan exactly how we want to cut the bone or cut the joint," Dr. Haywood explained.
He says when using this robot, less bone is cut and they are able to make it more patient specific.
"I'm guiding the saw, but the saw is set to cut the bones in, in only one way. And if you veer off, it will stop," Haywood said.
"I love the results. It gives me instant feedback. While in the OR, it helps you plan the surgeries better, and I can custom plan the surgeries better for each patient. And for me, my results are more consistent with it."
Howard Cyrus is one of Dr. Haywood’s patients. He had right knee replacement surgery using the robotic system in January to remove the damaged cartilage and bone, which eliminates arthritis.
"It went really well. I couldn't be happier," Cyrus said.
Cyrus said the recovery time really surprised him.
"It was much shorter than I thought. I mean, my tech had me walking in like six weeks, five or six weeks, not far, but we went outside the house," Cyrus said. "I followed the PT's advice a lot."
Dr. Haywood says because less bone is removed, patients should feel less pain which allows recovery to be faster. Full recovery usually takes four to six months, but could go up to a year.
"That was another thing I was surprised with was how little pain, you know, two weeks after, I was doing really well. I probably didn't take half of the narcotics, Cyrus said. "I would have no objections or even doubts about doing it again on my left knee. Same procedure, just was wonderful."
Cyrus is already back to some of his daily activities.
"I'm 69-years-old. I ride bikes. I golf. I lift weights. I do a lot of core. So I've been doing all that since March, April," Cyrus said.
Haywood said the MAKO system should be ready for shoulder replacements by the end of this year or the beginning of 2027.
He wants people to know, the procedure will also have a surgeon. The system cannot perform surgery on its own.
"It still needs a surgeon to verify how the bones are gonna be cut," Dr. Haywood said.
If you're in need of a joint replacement, visit Carondelet Health Network's website to learn more.
Cyrus shares a message to anyone hesitant about the surgery.
"Don't be afraid. It's a little daunting at first. I wouldn't watch any YouTube videos. I did, but I'm not sure about watching videos on it," Cyrus said. "It's a lot smoother than you think it's going to go, and God, is it worth it when the results are so much worth the time."
This story was reported on-air by a journalist and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.
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Vanessa Gongora is KGUN 9's Westside reporter.. Vanessa fell in love with storytelling by growing up in sports. She was fascinated by how sports reporters go beyond the x's & o's to tell players' stories, and how sports bring people together, inspiring Vanessa to provide the same impact as a journalist. Share your story ideas and important issues with Vanessa by emailing vanessa.gongora@kgun9.com or by connecting on Facebook, Instagram, and X.
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