A Fiji-born orthopaedic surgeon of Indian origin has performed the first robotic-assisted knee replacement surgeries at Crest Hospital in Palmerston North, marking a significant milestone for orthopaedic care in the region.
According to The Post, Dr Murali Reddy used Stryker's newly installed Mako Smart Robotics system to perform two knee replacement procedures on Thursday morning. The technology was introduced at Crest Hospital to assist surgeons in planning and performing joint replacement operations with greater precision.
The Mako system creates a detailed 3D model of a patient's anatomy from a CT scan, enabling surgeons to plan procedures before surgery. During the operation, the robotic arm provides real-time guidance to support precise implant placement and alignment.
The two patients who underwent the procedures told The Post they were excited to be the first in Manawatū to receive robotic-assisted knee replacement surgery and were recovering well.
Dr Reddy was born in Fiji and moved to Auckland, New Zealand, at the age of nine. He completed his secondary education at Auckland Grammar School before graduating from the University of Auckland Medical School in 2001.
He obtained his Fellowship in Orthopaedics through the Royal Australasian College of Surgeons and the New Zealand Orthopaedic Association in 2011. He later completed subspecialty training in shoulder and elbow surgery at Royal North Shore Hospital in Sydney under Prof. David Sonnabend and Dr Jeffrey Hughes.
After a six-month consultant role in Palmerston North in 2013, Dr Reddy returned to Canada for further fellowship training in shoulder and sports surgery at the Fowler Kennedy Sports Medicine Clinic and the Roth McFarlane Hand and Upper Limb Centre in London, Ontario. He and his family returned to Palmerston North in 2014, where he took up a public hospital appointment.
In addition to his clinical work, Dr Reddy serves as the orthopaedic intern and registrar supervisor at MidCentral Health. He is also involved in research collaborations with Massey University through projects linked to the departments of Mechatronics and Microbiology.
According to The Post, Crest Hospital chief executive Lyn Horgan said the introduction of the Mako robot system represented a significant advancement in access to advanced surgical care for patients in the MidCentral region.
The introduction of robotic-assisted surgery follows extensive training undertaken by specialists and theatre staff before the system became operational.