St John of God Subiaco Hospital achieves orthopaedic first

24 Jun 2024

The Mako surgical arm is used by 14 St John of God Subiaco Hospital surgeons to offer patients a more precise and predictable surgical experience and enhance post-operative recovery.

The device generates a 3D model of the patient’s joint prior to surgery, allowing surgeons to pre-plan their patient’s operations based on their specific anatomy.

During the procedure, the surgeon guides the Mako’s robotic arm according to the patient’s surgical plan and 3D model, and uses real-time feedback provided by the device to optimally position the joint implant.

St John of God Subiaco Hospital CEO Tina Chinery said the hospital has a long history of investing in the latest innovations and technologies to ensure patients can access the most advanced clinical care and services.

“In 2015, we became the first hospital in Australia to perform a partial knee replacement using the Mako,” she said.

“We also became the first hospital in Australia and South East Asia to install a second Mako device in 2019, further cementing our hospital’s reputation as a leader in robotic-assisted orthopaedic surgery.”

“We were thrilled to recently learn that we were the first hospital in the Southern Hemisphere to undertake 5,000 procedures using this Mako. This is a remarkable achievement and reflects the popularity of the device amongst patients and surgeons, as well as its effectiveness.”

“The record breaking volume of Mako procedures conducted at our hospital also means joint replacement patients can feel confident their care is being delivered by a highly experienced and skilled team of health care professionals.”

St John of God Subiaco Hospital’s orthopaedic service is supported by a rich program of research which has the potential to improve health care outcomes for patients and members of the wider community.

Research led by St John of God Subiaco Hospital orthopaedic surgeons is investigating the optimisation of outcomes in joint replacement surgery through the use of technology, including the Mako surgical arm and data science.

More than 2,500 patients are enrolled in the international research trial, which is capturing patient’s perioperative, intraoperative and postoperative data and clinical outcomes. This represents one of the most comprehensive databases involving this emerging technology anywhere in the world.

Data collected through the trial will be used to enhance the design of future prostheses, improve surgical outcomes and further improve patient satisfaction.

About St John of God Subiaco Hospital

St John of God Subiaco Hospital is a world-class private hospital offering the highest quality medical and surgical care in a warm and welcoming environment. Many of Perth’s leading specialist physicians and surgeons practice at the 600-bed hospital, allowing inpatients, outpatients and day patients to access a comprehensive range of services including maternity, medical, surgical, obstetrics and allied health

Media contact

Kate Klopper
Marketing and Communications Coordinator
St John of God Subiaco Hospital 
0437 936 636
[email protected]