Patients at Fremantle Hospital will now benefit from the latest in robotic technology which assists surgeons to plan and more accurately perform bone cuts and optimise functional outcomes in joint replacement surgeries.
“Fremantle Hospital is the first public hospital to provide this outstanding technology, offering robotic assisted joint replacement to public patients.” Western Australian Health Minister Roger Cook commented “This advanced robotic system makes Fremantle Hospital a hub for elective surgery. This is an excellent example of the McGowan Government’s Market-led Proposals Policy benefitting the Western Australian community as intended.”
Minister Cook said that making itself at home in one of the newly refurbished theatres, the Mako SmartRobotics system will be based at Fremantle Hospital following a successful Market-led Proposal by manufacturer, Stryker Australia. The Mako SmartRobotics uses a CT scan to create a 3D image of the patient’s unique anatomy which can be manipulated to assist the surgeon to plan the surgery.




The Minister explained that in performing the surgery, the robot guides the surgeon as they perform the cuts with enhanced accuracy and includes haptic technology which guides the surgeon and limits the possibility of damaging other structures during surgery. Through a multi-step, inter-agency evaluation process, the proposal was assessed as presenting a good opportunity to deliver many benefits to the Western Australian health system and community.
Minister Cook said that the technology is demonstrated to support greater consistency in joint replacement procedures, with better short-term outcomes for total knee, partial knee and total hip replacement patients and a likelihood of additional long-term benefits. The technology has been purchased through a five-year agreement.