Local doctor completes 2,000th Mako Robotic-Arm assisted surgery

BLACKFOOT — Bingham Healthcare announced this week that Dr. David Peterson has performed his 2,000th Mako procedure.

As a well-known orthopedic knee and hip replacement surgeon at Bingham, Peterson reached this milestone using the cutting-edge robotics platform purchased back in 2017. It assists surgeons in performing a more exact surgery via more precise incisions and balancing of the joint implant.

“Mako robotic-arm assisted surgery has dramatically changed the way joint replacement procedures are performed,” says Peterson in a news release.

He was the first surgeon in Idaho to perform a robotic-assisted total knee replacement using the Mako in 2017.

“I am pleased to have helped 2,000 patients find relief from pain using the Mako system,” he said.

The Mako system increases surgical precision, decreases hospitalization, and speeds up recovery times, according to Bingham Memorial Hospital. The hospital says it also improves surgical outcomes and quality of life while saving patients both time and money.

Because of the Mako technology, Bingham’s surgeons can perform same-day knee and hip replacement surgeries, in many cases.

Using a virtual 3D model, the Mako system allows surgeons to create each patient’s surgical plan pre- operatively, before the patient even enters the operating room. During surgery, the surgeon can validate that plan and make any necessary adjustments while guiding the robotic-arm to execute the procedure as planned.

“Achieving 2,000 surgeries using the Mako is quite the milestone for Bingham Orthopedics & Sports Medicine, and I couldn’t be more proud of Dr. Peterson,” says Jake Erickson, CEO of Bingham Healthcare. “It’s exciting to be able to offer this transformative technology to perform knee and hip replacements to the patients of Eastern Idaho and the Intermountain West.”