Mako Total Hip Replacement Surgery

At Boulder Community Health, our goal is to provide every patient with innovative high-quality care. This is especially true for our specialty services, such as orthopedics, which require highly-skilled surgeons, nurses, and therapists to assist with and perform intricate procedures that can relieve pain and improve your mobility. By using the latest technology and the most advanced procedures, our specialists are able to offer the best solutions for you.

For those who suffer from inflammatory or non-inflammatory degenerative joint disease (DJD) of the hip, we offer Mako Total Hip Replacement surgery. Foothills Hospital is the only facility in Boulder County to provide this procedure. The revolutionary Mako System provides a personalized surgical plan based on each patient’s unique anatomy and can help reduce pain and shorten recovery time.

• Surgeons who perform Mako Total Hip Replacement
• What is the Mako System?
• The Mako Total Hip Procedure
• Candidates for the Mako Total Hip Procedure
• Risks for the Mako Total Hip Procedure
• Contact a Mako Total Hip Specialist

Surgeons who perform Mako Total Hip Replacement

• Brian Blackwood, MD
• Austin Chen, MD
• Dirk Dolbeare, MD
• Michael Repine, MD

What is the Mako System?

With the Mako System for total hip replacement, the surgeon uses a state-of-the-art robotic arm and computer-guided mapping software to replace the hip joint with an implant. With this 3D technology, your surgeon can ensure the implant's ideal compatibility with your specific anatomy and pre-plan your hip replacement procedure to maximize results.

Because each patient is unique, the Mako System is designed to treat a variety of hip-related pain resulting from DJD conditions such as osteoarthritis, post-traumatic arthritis, rheumatoid arthritis, avascular necrosis, and hip dysplasia.

The most common symptoms associated with DJD that can be treated by Mako Total Hip Replacement include:

• Chronic pain in your hip
• Trouble walking up and/or down stairs
• Trouble rising from a seated position
• Pain from arthritis of the hip
• Inability to do physical activities

By reducing hip pain, increasing mobility, and restoring your range of motion, Mako’s Total Hip Replacement surgery can help you reclaim an active life. This procedure is a good alternative when non-surgical treatments fail to restore the health of your hip joint.

Other benefits of this procedure include:

• High success rates
• Fewer complications
• Faster recovery time
• Customizable to your anatomy
• Precise placement of hip implant
• Reduced likelihood of hip dislocation
• Higher consistency with leg length
• Lowered risk of implant-to-bone rubbing
• Longer-lasting implant

The Mako Total Hip Replacement Procedure

Total hip replacement surgery is the most comprehensive option offered at Boulder Community Health to correct hip joint issues. In this surgery, the damaged parts of the hip socket and thighbone are replaced with an artificial hip joint, also known as a prosthesis or implant. Generally, the implant is comprised of an artificial ball with a stem made of a strong metal, and an artificial socket made of polyethylene (a durable plastic).

The Mako total hip replacement procedure is generally performed as follows:

• Personalized plan: First, a CT scan is used to produce a 3D image of your hip. This image is then loaded into the Mako System software and used to determine your specific pre-operative plan.
• Surgery: Your surgeon will use the Mako robotic arm to prepare and place the implant into your hip socket.
• Post-surgery: Your surgeon will work with nurses and therapists to develop a recovery plan. Together they will set goals and monitor your condition and progress.

Candidates for the Mako Total Hip Procedure

When you meet with your orthopedic surgeon, they’ll perform a comprehensive review of your medical history and assess your current health to make sure you’re a candidate for the procedure. This is to ensure your safety and that the procedure will be an effective treatment for your condition.

This surgery is appropriate for people who experience pain due to arthritis or an injured hip joint. Results for patients younger than 50 years of age generally aren’t as good as the results achieved by older patients. This is because younger people tend to be more active, causing more wear on joint implants. However, studies show that almost 90 percent of implants are still functioning 10 years after surgery, and more than 60 percent are still working after 15 years.

As with any surgery, there may be factors that prohibit you from undergoing the procedure. Factors that may make this procedure inappropriate include:

• Certain infections
• Certain mental or neuromuscular disorders
• Compromised bone structure
• Skeletal immaturity
• Severe joint instability
• Excessive body weight

Risks for the Mako Total Hip Procedure

It’s important for patients to understand that while a hip replacement is generally safe, any surgery comes with risks and the potential for complications.

Possible complications of total hip replacements include:

• Blood clots
• Infections
• Joint dislocation
• Joint weakness
• Change in leg length
• Ossification (when soft tissues around your joint harden)
• Implant failure

Talk to your doctor about any concerns you may have about possible risks or complications from this procedure.

Contact a Mako Total Hip Specialist Today

If you’d like to learn more about the Mako System or would like to schedule an appointment with a surgeon who performs this procedure, please call Dr. Brian Blackwood, Dr. Austin Chen or Dr. Dirk W. Dolbeare of the BoulderCentre for Orthopedics at 303-449-2730; or Dr. Michael J. Repine of the Boulder Medical Center at 303-440-3000.