Public invited to see latest in knee replacement technology at Blessing Health Center open house

QUINCY — It’s estimated as many as 1.5 million total knee replacements will be done in the United States this year. As demand has increased due to an aging population and growing obesity epidemic, so has the technology used.

Blessing Health invites the public to see the latest in knee replacement technology during a public open house on Thursday, Feb. 2. The open house will be held from 11:30 a.m.-1:30 p.m. and again from 4:30-6 p.m. at the Blessing Health Center, 4800 Maine. The event is free and no registration is required. The ROSA knee replacement robot and the Blessing Health Orthopedics team will be featured at the open house.

Using X-rays of the patient’s unique knee anatomy, ROSA generates 3D images that show suggested sizes and angles of the minimally invasive incisions that will be needed during surgery.

In the operating room, ROSA’s camera sees tracking pins the surgeon placed in strategic locations around the patient’s affected knee. The camera and pins provide data that confirms the exact location of the knee within the patient’s leg. Surgeons used to have to do that by feeling with their hands.

Once ROSA confirms knee location as the patient lies on the operating table, the surgeon can adjust incisions sizes and angles so the knee implant is placed precisely and is balanced to work properly as the patient moves.

ROSA does not perform surgery. It is a tool to guide the surgeon to a higher level of accuracy in knee implant placement.