Local surgeon achieves accomplishment as they perform 100th robotic-aided knee replacement surgery in Loveland.
In the heart of Loveland, Diana Larson underwent a life-changing experience at McKee Medical Center. In March 2025, she underwent a robotic-assisted knee replacement surgery, marking a significant shift in her journey towards mobility and pain-free living.
Dr. Eric Gardner, an orthopedic surgeon at Banner Health, performed the surgery using the VELYS Robotic-Assisted Solution. This state-of-the-art technology, now available at McKee Medical Center, offers enhanced surgical precision, personalized implant positioning, less pain, faster recovery, balanced knee tension, minimized complications, and increased implant lifespan.
Diana, who had previously undergone a traditional knee replacement surgery in 2022, reported better mobility just a month after her robotic-assisted surgery. Remarkably, this was in contrast to the four months it took her to regain similar mobility after her first surgery.
The VELYS Robotic-Assisted Solution enables surgeons like Dr. Gardner to align and position implants with sub-millimeter accuracy, helping preserve soft tissues and ligaments during surgery. This precision eliminates the need for pre-surgery CT scans, streamlining the process for patients.
The personalized approach of the VELYS Robotic-Assisted Solution tailors the knee replacement to the patient’s unique anatomy, ensuring optimal implant fit and knee function. This customization allows for a more accurate, less invasive surgery with quicker rehabilitation and improved knee function.
Post-surgery, patients typically experience less postoperative pain and a quicker return to daily activities due to minimized tissue trauma and more precise surgical cuts. Over 95% of patients can go home the day after surgery at some centers.
The technology also allows intraoperative adjustments of knee alignment, ensuring balanced ligament tension throughout motion, improving stability and patient comfort. This balance, combined with the VELYS system and implants like the ATTUNE Knee System, enhances stability and range of motion post-surgery, helping patients perform daily activities more comfortably.
Secure instrument handling reduces tissue inflammation and damage, while precise implant positioning prolongs implant durability, minimizing complications and increasing implant lifespan.
Today, Diana Larson is pain-free and back to biking and hiking, testament to the success of the robotic-assisted surgery. Dr. Gardner, along with his Banner Health colleague Dr. Richard Williams, have been pioneering the use of this technology in the region.
For those interested in learning more about the VELYS Robotic-Assisted Solution at McKee Medical Center, they can call (970) 810-0020 or visit bannerhealth.com/mckee.
[1] "VELYS Robotic-Assisted Solution: A New Era in Total Knee Arthroplasty." Orthopedics This Week. Accessed April 20, 2025. https://www.orthopedicsthisweek.com/articles/2021/velys-robotic-assisted-solution-a-new-era-in-total-knee-arthroplasty/
[2] "The ATTUNE Knee System: Enhancing Total Knee Arthroplasty." Journal of Arthroplasty. Accessed April 20, 2025. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6364081/
[3] "VELYS Robotic-Assisted Total Knee Arthroplasty: A Systematic Review." Journal of Arthroplasty. Accessed April 20, 2025. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7264194/
[4] "Comparative Analysis of VELYS Robotic-Assisted Total Knee Arthroplasty and Conventional Total Knee Arthroplasty." Journal of Orthopaedic Science. Accessed April 20, 2025. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7827190/
- Diana Larson, a resident of Northern Colorado, experienced a transformative health event at Loveland's McKee Medical Center in March 2025, undergoing a robotic-assisted knee replacement surgery using the VELYS Robotic-Assisted Solution.
- The innovative technology, now available at McKee Medical Center, offers numerous benefits, such as enhanced surgical precision, personalized implant positioning, less pain, faster recovery, balanced knee tension, minimized complications, and increased implant lifespan.
- Following her robotic-assisted surgery, Diana reported improved mobility much quicker than after her traditional knee replacement surgery in 2022.
- The health-and-wellness scene in Northern Colorado continues to evolve with the adoption of cutting-edge technology like the VELYS Robotic-Assisted Solution, which allows for more accurate, less invasive surgeries and quicker rehabilitation, enhancing patient comfort and fitness-and-exercise capabilities.
