Meet ‘Ollie the Orthobot’ at Goshen Health

 

GOSHEN, Ind.-- Robot-assisted surgery is nothing new, but as the technology develops, it’s reaching more and more parts of the country. The Goshen Health system introduced a new robot Tuesday, “Ollie the Orthobot.”  

The technology, new to Elkhart County, lets orthopedic surgeons cut bones within millimeters of accuracy during joint replacements. A millimeter of bone might not seem like a lot, but as surgeon, Dr. Kyle Carlson, explained, one millimeter can make a huge difference in a patient's range of motion in their joint.  

“We’re bringing this technology because we believe it benefits our community,” said Randy Christophel, president and CEO of Goshen Health.  

Ollie cost several hundred thousand dollars, which Christophel says is worth it.  

“We know that we’ll get better outcomes and shorter recovery times for our patients,” he said.  

The Mako-Stryker robotic arm has been used in over a million joint replacements nationwide so far, but the first hip replacement using the robot at Goshen was just last month by Carlson.  

“That’s the first hip replacement that’s been done in Elkhart County using robotics,” Carlson said.  

That patient was Jeannie Miller.

“It did not feel like I was a guinea pig,” Miller said.    

“I went home that same day,” she said, “and I have 22 stairs to get up to my home, my upstairs apartment, and I was able to do that, that day.”

Here’s how it works. First, a CT scan is used to make a 3D model of the patient’s hip or knee joint.

“We get significant more feedback during the surgery to make sure that what we’re planning to do and what the CT and the robot are planning to do shake hands,” Carlson said. “Make sure everything’s on the same page.”  

Then, in surgery, the patient’s anatomical data is added to increase the accuracy of the replacement.  

"When we plug all that data into the computer, and coordinate with the robotic arm, we can cut within a millimeter of what the plan is on the computer,” Carlson said.  

“Ollie the Orthobot” helps facilitate a more-accurate joint replacement in just about 90 minutes, Carlson said.  

And no need to fear the bot!    

“It’s Dr. Carlson that’s running the robot,” Miller said. “It’s not like the robot’s making the decision, he’s still the surgeon.”

Christophel said the Mako-robot-assisted surgeries bring no extra cost to the patient or their insurance company.