Orthopedics at Saint Mary's Hospital

Saint Mary’s offers the highest quality care for our orthopedic patients. Our highly skilled, experienced surgeons and dedicated nurses and staff in our Orthopedic and NeuroSpine Unit work together to help you heal quickly and get you back to the things that are most important to you.

At Saint Mary’s you can count on orthopedic treatments and surgeries with proven results, with a comprehensive list of specialties including:

• 24/7/365 orthopedic trauma coverage with seamless transition from our Emergency Department to surgical treatment, if warranted
• OrthoSwift: Specialized treatment of sports injuries, sprains, strains, fractures and injured joints at our five Urgent Care Centers
• Sports medicine
• Total joint replacements, including hips, knees and shoulders
• X-rays, fracture care, casting, cast removal, splinting, soft casts and pre- and post-operative care
• Pre-emptive strategies for post-surgery pain control
• Outpatient physical therapy services, for pre-surgical treatment and post-surgical care, if needed, We offer 2 convenient locations; Physical and Occupational Therapy - Waterbury, and Physical Therapy & Low Vision Center - Naugatuck
  

Patient Materials

Planning for Joint Replacement Surgery

Planificación para la cirugía de reemplazo articular

Offering NAVIO Robotics-Assisted Knee Replacement Surgery

Knee replacement surgery is unique, based on your knee anatomy and the implant used. Designed to help ensure your knee replacement is positioned and aligned correctly, surgeons use the NAVIO Surgical System. 

NAVIO system benefits: accuracy, less exposure to CT radiation

The NAVIO system offers two important benefits for people undergoing a knee replacement procedure. First, it helps your surgeon create a highly individualized plan that is specific to the unique shape and motion of your knee. Traditional planning may require CT scans, a series of images similar to x-rays that shows cross-sections of your knee. While other robotic-assisted platforms require CT scans, the NAVIO system works without them, meaning you are not exposed to the potentially harmful radiation experienced with this type of imaging. 

The second benefit is robotic assistance. This combination of advanced technology is designed to help your surgeon and may result in more accuracy, giving you better long-term outcomes. 

The NAVIO system is used for both partial and total knee replacement, which are distinctly different procedures. Here's a bit more information on how the NAVIO system is used in these surgeries:  

Partial knee replacement

In partial knee replacement, your supporting tissue and ligaments that help stabilize your knee are spared and only the damaged portion of the knee is replaced. This means that healthy cartilage and bone remain intact to help your knee joint move smoothly with the prosthetic implant. Patients with osteoarthritis in only one area of their knee may be candidates for partial knee replacement.

Patients who undergo partial knee replacement often report a 'more normal' feeling knee, less pain and quicker rehabilitation.

Robotics-assisted planning and partial knee surgical procedures

Using the NAVIO system, your surgeon creates a 3D representation of the unique shapes and profiles of your knee without the need of a pre-operative CT scan.

Using all of this information your surgeon can then determine the correct size and position of the implant. Implant size and position is critical to knee alignment and stability.

Next, your surgeon uses robotic assistance of NAVIO to physically remove only the damaged bone, preparing the site for the prosthesis, before placing and adjusting your partial knee implant.

Total knee replacement

In total knee replacement, the entire knee joint is replaced with a prosthetic implant designed to replicate the shape, motion and stability of your natural knee joint. Total knee replacement is one of the most common procedures performed in all of medicine, with over 600,000 performed in the U.S. every year. Ninety percent of people who receive a total knee replacement experience a dramatic decrease in knee pain, and an improvement in their ability to perform daily activities.

Robotics-assisted planning, and total knee surgery guidance

Just as in the partial knee procedure described above, your surgeon creates a 3D representation of the unique anatomy of your knee without the need of a pre-operative CT scan.

Your surgeon uses your knee anatomy information to determine the correct size and position of the implant, and creates a surgery plan unique to your anatomy.