PETALING JAYA: Replacing bilateral knee surgery with the help of a robotic arm after suffering six years of chronic pain is the best decision Datuk Kour Nam Ngum has ever made.
Kour, who had to rest his knees after every 50 meters of walking before the surgery, has now returned to an active lifestyle filled with thrill rides, golf outings and more.
“I no longer hesitate to go out, worrying that I will fall or need help to walk long distances. And it’s all thanks to modern medical technology that has made my life better,” said Kour, who now walks pain-free (as usual) and was released from the hospital just three days after her knee replacement.
The same experience is shared by Wong Lian See, who enjoys taking her grandchildren for walks in the park, hearing their laughter when accompanying them at playtime, and has also undergone bilateral hip replacement surgery with the help of a robotic arm that eliminated pain and discomfort—and that kept him from walking and doing the things he loves.
“I could walk again without assistance or gait just one week after the surgery,” Wong said. “Now everything in my life is back to normal and I can take care of my grandchildren. I’m even planning to travel, which I thought was impossible before.”
Kour and Wong were guest speakers at Star Media Group’s hybrid webinar titled “Take Control of Your Hip or Knee Pain and Get Active Again” last Saturday.
They shared their painful experiences before hip and knee replacement surgery with the help of a robotic arm, as well as their quick recovery processes.
“The recovery (from the knee replacement) was easy. Just listen to your body, don’t force the healing process by going to aggressive physical therapy. “All I did was take part in slower physiotherapy and give time and patience for the tissues to heal,” said Kour, while Wong said he practiced walking every day until he felt completely normal.
The webinar, with Sunway Medical Center consultant orthopedic, joint and arthroplasty surgeon Dr Chua Hwa Sen, also shed light on common symptoms, causes and treatments for hip or knee pain, including the latest technology in replacement surgery hip and knee – robotic technology.
While most of the public, especially the older demographic, have the perception that hip or knee pain is a condition that comes naturally with age, and do not seek medical help to treat their condition, resulting in decreased mobility and subsequent of quality of life. in the long term, there are surgical treatment options that can get people back on their feet with minimal or no pain.
Chua said Sunway Medical Center brought robotic technology to Malaysia last year to enable knee and hip replacements to be performed surgically with the help of a robotic arm, which greatly increases the accuracy, success and recovery rate of surgeries.
Chua, in his description, explained that the treatment begins with CT-based 3D modeling to help surgeons see, in detail, each patient’s anatomy before surgery to formulate a personalized surgical plan.
Stressing that the robotic arm will not perform the surgery, he said the robot’s function during surgery was to enable surgeons to be precise in determining the perfect place to place the implants.
“The robot will collect data with precision – data that our naked eye cannot detect. It can distinguish something as small as 0.75 mm, as well as a scale as small as 0.5 degrees.
“This allows surgeons to operate with higher levels of precision and accuracy, which helps patients retain more healthy bone while protecting their tissues and ligaments.
More importantly, optimal placement and alignment of hip or knee implants also helps enhance the feel of a natural hip or natural knee,” said Chua.
He added that patients now experience minimal pain, have shorter hospital stays, recover much faster and benefit from a greater chance of returning to light daily activities within three weeks of undergoing surgery with the help of robotic arm.
“There are far fewer complications arising from surgery, both in the short and long term.”
Chua advised individuals suffering from severe and persistent hip or knee pain that limits mobility to immediately consult an orthopedic doctor and explore the option of robotic hip or knee replacement surgery.
“However, not all cases require surgery. It’s case by case,” he said.