#53 - Are Robotics the Future of Joint Replacement? Prof. Fares Haddad
The Joint Replacement PodcastShow Notes
Professor Fares Haddad joins The Joint Replacement Podcast to discuss how technology, robotics, and increasingly personalized surgical planning are changing hip and knee replacement. We explore his career across arthroplasty, complex revision surgery, elite sports, research, and editorial leadership, and how his surgical philosophy has evolved toward three-dimensional planning, cruciate preservation, partial knee replacement, and functional alignment. The centerpiece of the conversation is his recent randomized study of robotic-assisted versus conventional medial partial knee replacement. We discuss why partial knees may be particularly suited to robotics, improved implant positioning, differences in Forgotten Joint Score, criticisms of implant-to-implant comparisons, and whether increased precision is worth the added cost. We also discuss the RACER trial, mechanical versus functional alignment, why precision alone may not improve outcomes if surgeons are aiming at the wrong target, and how predictive analytics could eventually help determine patient-specific implant positioning. Finally, Professor Haddad shares his perspective as Editor-in-Chief of The Bone & Joint Journal on evaluating new evidence, answers whether robotic joint replacement is truly “better,” explains who may be a candidate for partial knee replacement, and describes why robotics may ultimately prove most valuable in complex hip and revision surgery.
More from The Joint Replacement Podcast
Is anterior hip replacement really better than posterior hip replacement? Does robotic surgery make a meaningful difference? And why aren't more patients receiving partial knee replacements? Dr. Matthew Sloan welcomes Dr. Charles Lawrie, fellowship-trained hip and knee replacement surgeon at Baptist Health South Florida and President of the Anterior Hip Foundation. Together, they discuss the evidence behind modern hip and knee replacement surgery, including: Why anterior hip replacement has grown in popularity and whether the benefits persist beyond early recovery
When celebrities and professional athletes need joint replacement surgery, what do they look for in a surgeon? Is it advanced technology, surgical experience, personalized attention, or the recovery process? Dr. Matthew Sloan welcomes Beverly Hills orthopedic surgeon Dr. Jason Snibbe, who has performed more than 12,000 surgeries and serves as managing partner of DOCS Health. In this wide-ranging conversation, Dr. Snibbe explains how he built a high-touch orthopedic practice, why he became an early adopter of robotic surgery, and how he approaches the technical controversies surrounding modern hip and knee replacement. They discuss robotic versus conventional knee replacement, cementless fixation, subvastus surgery, functional alignment, patellar resurfacing, direct superior hip replacement, dual mobility implants, partial knee replacement, and the importance of protecting the knee during early recovery. Dr. Snibbe also shares why he left a hospital that refused to purchase a robotic surgical system and how that decision ultimately led to his involvement in building a physician-owned orthopedic hospital designed around the entire patient experience. The conversation also tackles insurance reimbursement, surgeon independence, conservative treatment of arthritis, and why the best surgical decision is sometimes not to operate at all. A central theme: The best joint replacement experience is about more than the surgery itself. It's about trust, precision, communication, and recovery. A compelling conversation for patients considering joint replacement and surgeons interested in the future of orthopedic care. Hosted by Dr. Matthew Sloan. Learn more at MatthewSloanMD.com/blog.
Could better nutrition before surgery mean a smoother recovery afterward? In Episode 60 of The Joint Replacement Podcast, Dr. Matthew Sloan welcomes Dr. Sagar Desai, a Toronto-based orthopedic surgeon specializing in foot and ankle reconstruction and founder of Proven Therapeutics. Together, they explore an often-overlooked part of surgical preparation: nutrition. How much protein should patients eat before hip or knee replacement? Can specialized supplements reduce muscle loss or complications? Should patients really fast from midnight before surgery? And what does the evidence actually show? Dr. Desai discusses the science of immunonutrition, his experience developing a surgical nutrition supplement, and the challenges of translating research into clinical practice. The conversation also explores total ankle replacement versus ankle fusion, the controversy surrounding surgical treatment of Achilles tendon ruptures, minimally invasive bunion surgery, and the unique demands of treating professional athletes. Whether you're preparing for joint replacement, recovering from orthopedic surgery, or simply interested in optimizing surgical outcomes, this episode offers a wide-ranging discussion about preparation, recovery, and modern orthopedic care. Guest: Dr. Sagar Desai Host: Dr. Matthew Sloan Learn more at MatthewSloanMD.com Educational purposes only. Dr. Desai is the founder of Proven Therapeutics. Product-specific benefits have not been independently established in this episode.
Can an orthopedic surgeon design a better hip replacement implant than the major medical device companies? Dr. Kurtis Biggs decided to find out. In Episode 59, Dr. Matthew Sloan interviews Dr. Biggs, a fellowship-trained joint replacement surgeon from Naples, Florida, who developed his own femoral stem, taking it from a hand-drawn sketch at his kitchen counter to FDA clearance and implantation in patients. They discuss why he believed traditional hip implants could be improved, how he designed the Xerxes femoral stem to better accommodate natural hip anatomy, and the challenges of developing and manufacturing an entirely new orthopedic device. Dr. Biggs shares his early experience with approximately 130 implantations, including complications, revisions, and preliminary clinical observations. They also explore how long hip replacements really last, whether cementless or cemented stems are better, the advantages and limitations of anterior hip replacement, and how large medical device manufacturers influence which innovations reach patients. Most importantly, they confront a critical question: What evidence do we actually need before calling a new hip implant better than an established one? An inside look at surgical innovation, medical device development, and the future of hip replacement. Note: The Xerxes femoral stem has received FDA 510(k) clearance, but long-term clinical outcomes and comparative superiority remain unproven. Learn more at MatthewSloanMD.com and subscribe to The Joint Replacement Podcast for weekly conversations about hip and knee replacement.
Are health insurance companies making money by denying patients the medical care they need? Dr. Matthew Sloan welcomes Bryan Khoo, a Stanford graduate and incoming medical student at Washington University whose investigations into healthcare economics and insurance company practices have attracted national attention, including responses from Mark Cuban. They explore why American healthcare continues to become more expensive, how prior authorization decisions are made, why some insurance denials are never appealed, and the growing controversy surrounding Medicare Advantage. Bryan shares his perspectives on artificial intelligence in insurance reviews, post-surgical payment denials, corporate consolidation, physician reimbursement, and the future of independent medical practices. The conversation also examines how insurance company financial incentives may influence patient access to surgery and what reforms could help restore the physician-patient relationship. Who should control medical decisions: doctors or insurance companies? Editorial Disclaimer: Specific insurance company and healthcare business names have been redacted from portions of this interview because Dr. Sloan and The Joint Replacement Podcast have not independently verified the underlying studies, statistics, or allegations discussed. The guest's research findings and opinions are his own and should not be interpreted as independently verified conclusions or established findings of misconduct. Follow Bryan Khoo on LinkedIn and subscribe to The Joint Replacement Podcast for more conversations about healthcare, joint replacement, and medical innovation.