FREE Community Seminar: New MAKOplasty Procedure at FGH Offers Treatment Option for Osteoarthritis | Health

More than 15 million Americans suffer with painful osteoarthritis of the knee, which often affects their quality of life. In fact, osteoarthritis is the most common form of arthritis and a leading cause of disability worldwide, according to the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons. Fortunately, many of those suffering from this painful condition in the Pine Belt can now benefit from a new treatment option that increases their chances of returning to an active lifestyle – the RIO Robotic Arm Interactive Orthopedic System at Forrest General Hospital.

A FREE community seminar will be held on March 22 from 6 – 7 p.m. in Forrest General’s Hickory/Elm meeting rooms. Hattiesburg Clinic board-certified orthopedic surgeon Raymond Whitehead, M.D. and a representative from MAKO will be available to answer any questions about the procedure. Please join us for this special seminar to find out more about Forrest General’s new treatment option. To register for the seminar, please call FGH OnCall at 1-800-844-4445.

MAKOplasty® is a Partial Knee Resurfacing procedure designed to relieve the pain caused by osteoarthritis for patients with early to mid-stage osteoarthritis that has not affected their entire knee. MAKOplasty® has been shown to improve surgical results and shorten hospital stays, thanks to the less-invasive surgical procedure that uses smaller incisions, reduces blood loss and leaves less scarring. This new procedure is proven to give patients more natural knee function after surgery, helping them get back to an active lifestyle. In many cases, patients are allowed to walk soon after surgery, drive a car in the first few weeks and return to normal daily activities shortly thereafter. MAKOplasty® is powered by MAKO’s robotic arm system, which allows the physician to reproduce the same precision during every patient’s procedure.

“Forrest General invested in MAKO robotic technology because we are committed to providing the most advanced treatment options for patients in South Mississippi,” said Steve Jackson, orthopedic and neuroscience service line administrator. “The MAKO system will bring to our area a new tool in the treatment of knee pain that is minimally invasive as compared to traditional knee replacement, making it possible for patients to return to their normal lives quickly. Forrest General is proud to be the first in our area to offer this exciting new orthopedic technology.”

Anyone interested in this procedure should first talk with their doctor to see whether they may be a good candidate. However, typical MAKOplasty® patients share several characteristics, including suffering from knee pain with activity on the inner or outer knee or under the knee cap and start up knee pain or stiffness when activities are initiated from a sitting position. The MAKOplasty® procedure is helpful for those patients whose osteoarthritis has not responded to non-surgical treatments or non-steroidal anti-inflammatory medication.

For more information on this new procedure, for physician referrals or to register for the March 22 seminar, please call FGH OnCall at 1-800-844-4445. For additional information about Forrest General’s services, visit ForrestGeneral.com.