Kota bharu: Raja Perempuan Zainab Hospital II (HRPZ II) conducted the first-ever knee replacement surgery using a robotic surgical assistant in the state today.

According to BERNAMA News Agency, Kelantan health director Datuk Dr Mohd Azman Yacob stated that this milestone makes HRPZ II the first hospital in Kelantan and the East Coast to utilize robotic technology for such a procedure. It stands as the third hospital in the country to do so, following Kuala Lumpur Hospital and Sultanah Bainun Hospital in Ipoh.

Dr Mohd Azman emphasized that robotic technology offers significant advantages to patients, including higher surgical accuracy, reduced post-surgery pain, and a shorter recovery period. He highlighted that the first surgery involved a male patient, Mohd Jilani Jaffar, 63, who had been experiencing knee pain for several years.

The robotic system allows surgeons to plan the procedure with greater detail using real-time three-dimensional images. It also aids in detecting ligament imbalances and determining bone cutting angles and thickness with high precision. This precision helps reduce the risks of misalignment and minimizes variations due to human operators. Patients are expected to experience minimal bleeding, reduced tissue trauma, and earlier mobility compared to conventional methods.

Dr Mohd Azman also mentioned that the hospital has three trained surgeons to perform these surgeries and has scheduled two surgery slots weekly, accommodating a total of six patients at affordable costs. Additionally, patients from the B40 group can receive free treatment through the medical aid fund.

Annually, the hospital performs around 150 joint replacement surgeries, including 110 knee surgeries, with 19 cases being bilateral surgeries. Last year alone, HRPZ II conducted 80 knee replacement surgeries, 25 of which were bilateral, making it one of the most active Health Ministry hospitals in conducting this procedure in the country.