First robot-assisted knee replacement a success at Brampton Civic Hospital with more on the way

Doctors at Brampton Civic Hospital have given an Ontario man a bionic boost with the help of a surgical robot with plans for more high-tech procedures down the line.

Last month, Michael Clair became the first patient to undergo a robot-assisted total knee replacement surgery at Brampton Civic.

The William Osler Health Systems says the hospitals’ new robotic surgical assistant, or ROSA for short, is one of just 10 being used in hospitals across the country and uses real-time information to assist surgeons with the precise placement of knee implants based on a patient’s anatomy.

A surgery assisted by ROSA can lead to less pain, reduced risk of complications and quicker recovery time. Those benefits helped ease Clair’s anxiety going into the procedure, saying he had “full confidence” in surgeon Dr. John Harrington and the Osler team.

Clair, who is 60 years old and from Acton, was discharged from the hospital the same day as his surgery with his wife Kim who helped him through the recovery process.

“My wife has had two hip replacements, so she’s been through this and will be working from home to help me get through it,” he said.

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Harrington said he plans to use ROSA for all first-time knee replacements and is already looking to include other types of knee and hip surgeries in the future.

Clair’s other knee will also need a replacement, as an injury on the job nearly 30 years ago tore his meniscus. Combined with years of wear and tear and advanced arthritis in both knees, Clair decided that a full knee replacement was his best option for a better quality of life.

Osler performed some 1,262 knee replacement surgeries last year alone, a number the health system says is expected to increase thanks to innovative technologies like ROSA as the health system continues to recover from the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic.

With files from William Osler Health System