An Interactive Orthopedic System Uses Robotics for Knee Resurfacing

An innovative, restorative surgical solution enables orthopedic surgeons to treat patient-specific, early to mid-stage osteoarthritic knee disease with consistent reproducible precision.

The Makoplasty procedure uses the MAKO Robotic Arm Interactive (RIO) orthopedic system and the Restoris multi compartmental knee (MCK) system, which help surgeons and hospitals address the needs of patients suffering from early to mid-stage osteoarthritis (OA) of the knee. The procedure is planned specifically to individual patient anatomy, to ensure ideal placement for restoring natural knee kinematics. Tactile technology is combined with three-dimensional (3D) visualization for controlled resurfacing of the knee joint within the planned, predefined resection volume. Current applications include a lateral unicompartmental knee resurfacing, unicompartmental knee resurfacing, and bicompartmental knee resurfacing applications targeting the medial and patellofemoral compartments.


The RIO system is a surgeon-interactive tactile surgical platform that incorporates a robotic arm and patient-specific visualization technology that prepares the knee joint for the insertion and alignment of MAKO's resurfacing Restoris implants through a minimal incision. The RIO helps to accurately plan implant size, orientation, and alignment utilizing computerized tomography (CT)-derived 3D modeling, preresection capture of patient-specific kinematic tracking through full flexion and extension, and real-time intraoperative adjustments for correct knee kinematics and soft-tissue balance.

The Restoris MCK is comprised of femoral and patellofemoral components that nest together, allowing for smooth patella tracking and transitioning of implant components. The unicompartmental knee system preserves critical tissue and bone for improved outcomes, and offers intra-operative flexibility in selecting either inlay or onlay implants by utilizing a common femoral implant that addresses more routine patient anatomy. Both the RIO and the Restoris system are products of MAKO Surgical (Ft. Lauderdale, FL, USA), and have been approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA).

"We believe the advanced proprietary features of our RIO robotic arm system and the Restoris MCK bicompartmental knee implant system provide the potential to address a larger population of patients suffering from limited osteoarthritis in the knee,” said Maurice Ferré, M.D., president and CEO of MAKO Surgical.

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