Knee Surgery Patient Joe Owings

Joe Owings, 62, needed knee surgery, but when would he find time for the procedure and recovery? He owned HIS Auto Sales Inc. in Wilkes County and was also a minister. Over the average week, he spent 70 to 80 hours buying and selling cars, teaching Bible college classes and doing mission work. 

Joe explored his options and decided to have MAKOplasty® partial knee resurfacing. 

MAKOplasty surgery was easier on Joe because it is so precise

Joe’s orthopaedic surgeon, Dr. Gary Poehling, used the MAKO Tactile Guidance System™ to replace a compartment in his right knee. The system provides precise placement that not only makes knee surgery easier on the patient immediately, but also helps the implant function well and therefore last longer. 

Dr. Poehling and Dr. Riyaz Jinnah are the only two orthopaedic surgeons in North Carolina using the robotic system. The process begins with a computed tomography (CT) scan of the knee. That information is fed into a computer, which indicates the best size implant for the patient and also simulates motion. This enables the surgeon to place the correct component with less than a millimeter of variance.

“This state-of-the-art surgery is extremely precise,” Dr. Jinnah said. “With the robotic arm, you place the component in the optimal position. If you do that, you certainly get the best possible function, and that is critical in longevity as well.”

Recovery was quicker for Joe with MAKOplasty versus traditional knee surgery

Before having the MAKOplasty procedure, Joe had partial knee surgery on his other knee earlier in the year. Recovery and pain were better with MAKOplasty® surgery. 

“I recovered faster and there seemed to be a dramatic reduction in the trauma to my knee, compared with my other knee surgery,” Joe said. “I had knee problems for three years and had to stop my overseas mission work. Now I can get back to my mission work.”