Orthopedics & Rehabilitation

Joint Replacement

A Leader in the Borough of Queens

NewYork-Presbyterian Queens is the leading provider of joint replacements in the borough, featuring a team of orthopedic surgeons who are experts in hip, knee, shoulder, and elbow replacement. Using the latest robotic surgery technologies, our experts can operate with more precision than ever before, restoring comfort and mobility to people with even the most severely damaged joints.

In 2017, we became the first hospital in Queens to establish a comprehensive outpatient joint replacement program. Candidates for the program receive joint replacement surgery with the goal of returning home in under 24 hours and avoiding an overnight hospital stay.

Ensuring Your Comfort

Our orthopedic surgeons work closely with anesthesiologists and Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetists (CRNAs) to make sure your surgery is as comfortable and pain-free as possible. Based on your needs, your team will determine whether a combination of regional or general anesthesia is best for you. A multidisciplinary team of physicians, nurses, physician assistants, and occupational and physical therapists will be by your side following your surgery to ensure you can start moving again safely. We also encourage your family and loved ones to play an active role in your recovery.

Common Reasons for Joint Replacement

Common causes of joint pain include osteoarthritis and inflammatory arthritis, such as rheumatoid arthritis. Osteoarthritis is caused by the wearing or breaking down of cartilage in the joints. Rheumatoid arthritis is an autoimmune disease that results in chemical changes in the lining of the joints (synovium), causing the joint to become inflamed. The synovial fluid then destroys the cartilage. In both cases, when the cartilage deteriorates, the bones rub against one another and cause pain and stiffness.

Since your hips and knees are the largest joints in your body and are central to nearly every routine activity you perform, disease or injury to these joints can cause debilitating pain and limit your ability to function. We also perform joint replacement for people with avascular necrosis of the hip, knee, or shoulder and for people with rotator cuff problems.

Robotic Arm-Assisted Surgery

At NewYork-Presbyterian Queens, our orthopedic surgeons use advanced robotic arm-assisted surgery for total hip, total knee, or partial knee replacement as an alternative to traditional joint replacement surgery. The state-of-the-art robotic arm system enables our surgeons to create a unique 3D model of your bone anatomy before the procedure. This 3D model allows your team to customize a surgical plan to place your implant with the highest degree of accuracy and precision.

Before surgery 

A CT scan of your joint is used to generate the 3D virtual model of your unique anatomy. This model is loaded into the system software to create your personalized presurgical plan.

During surgery 

Your surgeon will use the personalized presurgical plan and robotic arm to assist in performing your surgery. This system enables your surgeon to adjust your plan during the operation as needed, and allows for more accurate placement of your implant.

After surgery 

Your orthopedic team of surgeons, nurses, and therapists will monitor your progress closely and help you set goals for recovery.

Robotic-Assisted Knee Replacement Surgery

Knee replacement is a surgical procedure in which a diseased or damaged joint is replaced with an artificial joint. This artificial joint, made of metals and plastics to match the function of bone and cartilage, is designed to move much like a healthy human joint. NewYork-Presbyterian Queens was the first hospital in the borough to perform total knee and partial knee replacements using the Mako SmartRobotics™ robotic arm-assisted system. Your surgical team will discuss whether total or partial knee replacement is best for you.

Total knee replacement

Total knee replacement is a resurfacing procedure where all three compartments of the diseased or damaged joint are removed and replaced with an artificial implant.

Partial knee replacement

Partial knee replacement helps relieve arthritis in one or two of the three compartments of the knee. Only the damaged part of the knee is replaced. You may have:

• Unicondylar knee replacement to replace only the medial (inner) or lateral (outer) compartment of the knee
• Patellofemoral knee replacement to replace the worn patella (kneecap) and the trochlea (the groove at the end of the thigh bone)
• Bicompartmental knee replacement to replace two compartments of the knee--the medial and patellofemoral compartments

Robotic-Assisted Hip Replacement Surgery

During total hip replacement surgery, the surgeon replaces the portions of the hip joint that contain the damaged surfaces with precision metal and plastic parts to achieve a smooth and painless range of motion. By using the robotic arm-assisted system, surgeons are able to accurately place the hip implant, reducing the likelihood of hip dislocation. This state-of-the-art procedure also achieves more consistency in leg length, potentially decreasing the need for a shoe lift and resulting in less chance of the implant and bone rubbing together in an abnormal way.

Why Choose Us

If you or someone you know is getting little to no relief from medication or other traditional treatments for joint pain, robotic arm-assisted joint replacement surgery may be an option. Take the first step to regaining your mobility and returning to your favorite activities by scheduling an appointment us today.