BMI Woodlands Hospital, in Darlington, has introduced robotic-arm assisted joint replacement surgery.

Earlier this month, the hospital became the first BMI hospital to treat a patient using the innovative Stryker Mako robotic system for hip and knee replacement surgery.

The robotic-arm offers patients a state-of-the-art alternative to traditional methods of joint replacement surgery.

James Webb, one of the hospital’s consultant orthopaedic surgeons, trained in robotic surgery, said: “It’s an exciting time for the ever-evolving medical world and this advancement shows we are maintaining our drive to return our patients to their previous quality of life as effectively as possible.”

In making this addition to its orthopaedic department, the hospital looked for a system that showed evidence of better alignment and positioning than conventional methods during surgery, a speedier recovery and reduced post-operative pain. The system assists patients in getting back to an active lifestyle more quickly than traditional joint replacement methods.

Debbie Dobbs, BMI Woodlands Hospital executive director, said: “We expect that this will help transform the way our surgeons perform hip and knee joint replacements, enhance recovery time and overall process for our patients.”