He added that the inaugural procedure which took place earlier this month means Poland now joins Belgium and Slovakia as the only European countries using the technology.

“We have been using knee robots for four years, but the robotic arm that can also be used for the hip joint is the next stage of the development of orthopaedics, it is a new thing,” Skowronek said. “The hip joint is the most common joint in which prosthesoplasty is performed, and thanks to the robotic arm, prosthesis implantation is optimised.”

He added: “It is possible to obtain the optimal prosthesis setting, minimise the limb difference, achieve the best range of mobility of the joint with the lowest risk of dislocation, and of course with the possibility of different patient activities, including sports activities, in the future.”

According to Skowronek, prosthetic hip implants are being used more frequently in younger patients due to lifestyle and the earlier onset of degenerative changes.

“The age limit at which prostheses are implanted decreases due to developing degenerative changes and lifestyle, among other things. The number of prosthesoplastic procedures will also continue to grow in Europe, and almost double by 2050,” he said.

“There are growing expectations of patients who not only want to walk with or without orthopaedic crutches, they now want to return to normal daily activity, both professional and possibly sports,” he added.

“In the future, the use of this type of arm will also enable ‘remote’ supervision over the procedure or cooperation of experts with hospitals equipped with such ‘robots’,” he said.

Surgeons at the Mazovian Bródno Hospital perform approximately 2,000 surgical procedures annually, including over 1,000 hip replacements using the minimally invasive MIS DAA (Direct Anterior Approach) technique, one of the most advanced in Poland. (PAP)

mbed/ lm/