Three Freeman orthopaedic surgeons – Dr. Derek Miller, Dr. Robert Lieurance and Dr. Thomas Sanders – are the first and only physicians in Southwest Missouri to utilize the CORI Surgical System®, a robotic-assisted computerized tool that has proven revolutionary when it comes to partial and total knee replacement surgeries.

Thanks to detailed computer scans and a nimble handheld tool, the system adds an extra layer of pre-surgical planning to surgeries along with improved cutting precision that was almost unheard of 20 years ago.

It all comes down to precision. The robot allows the trio to prepare bone down to an unheard-of tenth of a millimeter, which is an accuracy never seen before; making CORI a true paradigm shift when it comes to knee surgeries.

Prior to surgery, the CORI system eliminates the need for timely and expensive CT scans, x-rays or MRI – deleting exposure to radiation or an additional expense rarely covered by insurance. The system allows Dr. Lieurance, Dr. Sanders and Dr. Miller to map a knee’s anatomy in live time, meaning a more accurate and custom fit for a total knee replacement.

CORI’s other primary benefit is the robotic assistance it offers Freeman surgeons during the actual surgeries. The surgeon is in complete control of the robot at all times, holding a robotic hand piece that replaces the traditional bone saw. CORI tells the surgeon where to manually cut and remove bone, milling down into the bone to a pre-determined setting.

When it comes to partial replacement surgeries, the supporting tissue and ligaments that help stabilize the knee are spared; only the damaged portion of the knee is replaced with a custom-made prosthetic implant. With full knee replacement surgery, the entire knee is replaced with a prosthetic designed to replicate the shape, motion and stability of the replaced knee joint without significant soft-tissue complications.

As a result, all three Freeman surgeons are seeing higher patient satisfaction, better range of motion sooner and the ability to go home more quickly and fewer patients requiring narcotics after surgery. 
 
To learn more about knee surgeries and the CORI surgical system®, visit freemanhealth.com. To schedule an appointment today with any one of our surgeons, call 417.347.5400.