Genesee Orthopaedics surgeons are now performing robotically assisted knee replacement surgery at Rochester Regional Health United Memorial Medical Center with the help of Zimmer Biomet’s ROSA® Knee System.

United Memorial Medical Center is one of four Rochester Regional Health system hospitals to invest in this new orthopedic and joint replacement technology, making them the first healthcare system in the Rochester region to perform a robotically assisted total knee replacement. 

The assistance of ROSA, which stands for Robotic Surgical Assistant, provides a greater degree of accuracy for the orthopedic surgeon and a quicker return to daily activities for the patient.

On Friday, Matthew Landfried, MD, Chief of Orthopedic Surgery at United Memorial Medical Center, was the first to perform the procedure in the Greater Rochester Area and did so in Batavia.

“We are thrilled to bring this emerging technology to our rural hospital and provide local access to this level of care,” said Dan Ireland, president of United Memorial Medical Center. “Having teams that embrace this advanced technology is an extreme benefit to our patients, providing them with the best possible outcomes and the care they need, close to home.”

Total Knee Replacement is one of the most commonly performed elective surgical procedures in the United States with approximately 700,000 conducted in a year. It is also the most common surgery performed within the health system with more than 2,000 knee replacements conducted each year. Almost all patients who are candidates for total knee replacement qualify for the procedure using robotic assistance. 

Prior to surgery, the ROSA Knee System’s 3D model virtually tracks how the patient’s knee moves in real time. If a patient’s knee moves even a fraction of an inch, the robot will know and adjust accordingly. This data provided enables surgeons to use computer and software technology to move surgical instruments executing the procedure with an extremely high degree of accuracy.

“No two patients are the same,” UMMC's Dr. Landfried said. “The robot doesn’t operate on its own but is instead used to assist us in making an accurate incision. The Rosa System personalizes surgical procedures to each individual patient’s anatomy, allowing for greater precision and accuracy during the procedure.”

This minimally invasive procedure offers the following benefits:

• Less pain;
• Quicker return to daily activities;
• Shorter hospital stay;
• Increased longevity of the implant;
• Reduced blood loss;
• Reduced injury.

Rochester Regional Health’s Surgery program ranks in the top 1 percent in the Northeast year after year for robotic assisted procedures. The acquisition of the Rosa Knee System is an extension of the health system’s continued investment in robotics and technology. The system has been at the forefront of robotically assisted surgery for more than 15 years with more than 10,000 robotic surgeries to date.

In the coming weeks, procedures will begin at Rochester General Hospital, Unity Hospital and Newark-Wayne Community Hospital.