KANSAS CITY, MO., NOVEMBER 17, 2022 ― Scott M. Abraham, MD, a board-certified orthopedic surgeon in Kansas City, has reached the milestone of performin 1,000 robotic knee-replacement surgeries – a feat being celebrated within the local and medical community. In the past 4 1/2 years, Dr. Abraham has used two robotic systems developed by the U.K.-based Smith and Nephew, a medical technology company, to perform partial and total knee replacements at St. Joseph Medical Center using the NAVIO ™ and the updated CORI ™ surgical systems, Dr. Abraham is the only surgeon in the KC area to complete 1,000 cases using these computer-aided systems.
Dr. Abraham is a provider with the highly regarded Kansas City Orthopedic Alliance (KCOA), the largest independently owned orthopedic practice in Kansas City. KCOA currently has more than 50 board-certified providers in six area locations.
“KCOA is extremely proud of Dr. Abraham and his accomplishment,” says Brian Stewart, DPT, Chief Development Officer at Kansas City Orthopedic Alliance. “It reinforces and highlights his and KCOA’s commitment to bringing the most innovative solutions to patients in the Kansas City Region. When you combine great physicians with superior technology, you can expect tremendous outcomes…and that’s what Dr. Abraham delivers for his patients every day.”
As an industry leader in the region, Dr. Abraham says he is committed to improving long-term outcomes for his patients with this technology.
“Think of it as a 3-D mapping system of a patient’s individual knee,” says Dr. Abraham. “The sophisticated software allows us to place the components more precisely and accurately to achieve a better fit for each patient. These less invasive techniques mean less trauma on the knee joint, resulting in better outcomes as we mobilize patients sooner with faster recovery times.”
Any candidate for traditional knee replacement is also a candidate for robotic-assisted, according to Dr. Abraham. “We see people often become more active than before they experienced knee problems — even participating in sports you would not expect such as tennis and snow-skiing.”
Dr. Abraham’s patient, Saundra Valetta Alberti, had knee replacement surgery on October 21, 2021. She recently traveled overseas and provided a statement from Rome, Italy: “Without this surgery, I would not have been able to travel this far nor walk this much. And I have walked and walked and walked. The first day was 18,678 steps and the next day was 14,983 steps plus a zillion stairs. I have NOTHING but praise for Dr. Abraham.”
The American Academy of Orthopedic Surgeons estimates knee replacement surgeries are expected to increase a staggering 180% between now and 2030 in United States, with robotic-assisted surgeries at the forefront.
Dr. Abraham regards the CORI ™ surgical system to be a “game changer” due to several features, including improved component positioning, improved ligament balancing, and improved bone preparation. Its greater accuracy and precision allows it to be customized to patients’ unique anatomy, resulting in a more natural fit. Patients can keep more of their natural bone and ligaments to help maintain a more natural rhythm and step.
Dr. Abraham earned his Doctor of Medicine degree from University of Kansas in Wichita in 2004 and is committed to the Kansas City area. Outside of work, Dr. Abraham and his wife and children are involved in foster care and church and local community outreaches, saying that these connections keep him “driven and excited to provide such high-quality care to my fellow Kansas Citians.”
About St. Joseph Medical Center
St. Joseph Medical Center is a faith-based, 310-bed hospital providing a wide range of acute care and outpatient services. Key services include the Senior Care Services, St. Joseph Heart Institute, Breast Center and Joint and Spine Institute. St. Joseph is a member of Prime Healthcare, one of the nation’s leading hospital systems for clinical excellence.
Prime Healthcare and its hospitals have been recognized as among the “100 Top Hospitals” in the nation 38 times and among the “15 Top Health Systems” three times, and Prime Healthcare is the only “Top 10 Health System” west of the Mississippi. We believe that continuous, quality of care and performance improvements are the foundation for preserving and enhancing healthcare delivery. For more information, visit stjosephkc.com.
Prime Healthcare and its hospitals have been recognized as among the “100 Top Hospitals” in the nation 38 times and among the “15 Top Health Systems” three times, and Prime Healthcare is the only “Top 10 Health System” west of the Mississippi. We believe that continuous, quality of care and performance improvements are the foundation for preserving and enhancing healthcare delivery. For more information, visit stjosephkc.com.