New step in the treatment of osteoarthritis
The CORI robot launched by Vinmec is of American origin, belonging to the modern generation of orthopedic surgery robots integrating artificial intelligence AI. The robot was developed to support surgeons in planning, performing bone resection and artificial joint placement with high accuracy. The system operates based on anatomical data and individual movement characteristics of each patient, thereby helping to personalize the treatment process.
One of the highlights of this technology is the ability to collect anatomy data directly in the operating room and recreate a 3D knee joint model in real time. Thanks to this, patients do not need to perform CT scans before surgery, helping to save paraclinical costs and shorten surgery preparation time.
In Vietnam, Vinmec is the first private medical unit to bring the CORI robot into knee replacement surgery. This is considered an important milestone in Vinmec's in-depth development strategy in the field of trauma orthopedics.
At the event, Prof. Dr. Tran Trung Dung - General Director of Vinmec Health System - shared that promoting investment in surgical robots is part of the strategy to develop advanced medical techniques of the system. He emphasized: "The goal is not only to improve professional quality, but also to help patients access modern treatment methods right in the country without having to go abroad for treatment at high costs.
The highlight in the launch event was the robot-applied knee replacement demonstration surgery, performed by Prof. Dr. Tran Trung Dung and his team. The surgery was recorded and broadcast live from the operating room to the hall for the team of doctors and surgeons to attend to follow the entire process and exchange expertise right at the event.
The patient is Ms. Nguyen Thi Thanh Huong (70 years old), diagnosed with osteoarthritis of both knee joints, the right knee is more painful, deformed and scoliosis. For many years, she has had to live with chronic joint pain, especially when moving stairs or standing up and sitting down.
MSc.BS Vo Sy Quyen Nang - Head of the Department of Orthopedic Trauma and Musculoskeletal, Vinmec Ocean Park 2 International General Hospital - said that this is a typical case of late-stage osteoarthritis that makes internal medicine treatments no longer effective. After being thoroughly consulted, the patient decided to perform a full knee replacement method using robots.
Thanks to the support of the robot system, the surgery took place smoothly and was completed in about an hour. Notably, on the very day of the surgery, the patient was able to stand up and practice the first steps with the support of medical staff. This is considered a positive result for the patient who had a total knee replacement.
Opportunity for knee replacement surgery at reasonable cost right in Vietnam
The launch ceremony also had the participation of Prof. Dr. Ali Al Belooshi - an international orthopedic trauma expert with more than 20 years of experience in joint replacement surgery. He is currently a Professor at the University of the UAE and co-founder of the Orthocure Medical Center (UAE). Within the framework of the event, experts shared experiences in deploying robot surgery in many countries, as well as updated new trends in the field of high-tech joint replacement.
Osteoarthritis is a common disease, especially in middle-aged and elderly people, causing prolonged pain, limited mobility and seriously affecting the quality of life. In Vietnam, along with the aging population and the increase of risk factors such as overweight, obesity or trauma, the number of people with this disease is increasing.
When the disease progresses severely and internal medicine treatments no longer respond, total knee replacement is considered an effective solution to help reduce pain, restore mobility and improve the quality of life for patients. However, to achieve optimal results, surgery requires high accuracy in each operation, to ensure that the postoperative joint moves stably and naturally. In that context, the application of robot support surgery is being considered a breakthrough in modern medicine.
In traditional knee replacement surgery, surgeons mainly rely on clinical experience and mechanical positioning instruments to perform operations. Conversely, when applying robots, the doctor is still the person directly performing the surgery but is supported by an intelligent positioning system to accurately control each step during the surgery. Thanks to that, the operations during the surgery process achieve very high accuracy, with a error of less than 1 mm. In particular, robots can visually measure the soft tissue tension in surgery, reducing dependence on the doctor's experience," Dr. Nang explained.
Doctors expect that with the support of modern technologies such as robots in surgery, more and more knee osteoarthritis patients will have the opportunity to be treated effectively, recover better mobility and maintain a long-term quality of life after surgery.
Currently, CORI robot is being deployed by Vinmec in knee replacement surgery at many facilities nationwide. In the coming time, Vinmec will continue to invest and apply more advanced generations of surgical robots to meet the increasing treatment needs and help domestic patients access modern techniques at reasonable costs.
