Hong Kong surgeons use robot to repair pelvis fractures with less trauma

A surgical team at the Chinese University of Hong Kong has completed the city's first robot-assisted operation to repair a broken pelvis, deploying technology researchers say will cut blood loss and tissue damage in one of orthopaedic medicine's most difficult procedures.

The novel robotic system offers a "safe, precise, and minimally invasive" method for correcting pelvic fractures, according to Dr Ronald Wong Man-yeung, clinical associate professor in CUHK's department of orthopaedics and traumatology. The university's faculty of medicine announced the milestone on Friday.

Why the technique matters

Pelvic fracture surgery ranks among the most challenging operations in orthopaedic trauma because of the high concentration of blood vessels and vital organs surrounding the pelvis, Wong said. Reducing surgical trauma through minimally invasive techniques can significantly lower complications, and the robotic system has proven "a safe and efficient treatment option for these higher-risk patients" based on early experience.

The advance arrives as Hong Kong confronts a surge in pelvic fracture cases tied to its rapidly ageing population. These fractures are serious injuries that can be life-threatening, particularly for elderly patients.

Geriatric patients commonly suffer from multiple medical conditions that make traditional surgical procedures higher-risk, making the robot-assisted approach especially meaningful for this group, Wong noted.

The medical faculty said the orthopaedic robotic surgical system could turn a "new page" in trauma care.

Source: South China Morning Post