What robotic-assisted knee replacement is
Your surgeon operates with a robotic guidance system that has already mapped your joint in 3D from a CT scan. Implant size, position and alignment are planned to the millimeter before you reach the operating room, and the system keeps the cuts on that plan during surgery. It measures; the surgeon operates.
Why millimeters matter
An implant aligned to your anatomy wears evenly, feels more natural and tends to last longer. Alignment is one of the four biggest factors in how long a knee replacement lasts, with weight, bone quality and activity, and the one the operating room fully controls.
- Before
The CT scan builds your blueprint
A 3D model of your joint, not an average one. Implant size and position are decided here.
- During
The surgeon operates, the robot checks
The system tracks the joint in real time and keeps cuts on the plan. Your surgeon's hands and judgment run the operation.
- After
Precision pays off in rehab
Balanced ligaments, accurate leg length on hips, an implant set to wear evenly. Our rehab team sees the difference.
Is robotic surgery better?
Robotic assistance makes an experienced surgeon more precise; it does not make an average surgeon excellent. The tool executes the plan. The surgeon's training and judgment decide everything else, so ask any practice who your surgeon is and how often they do this. Ours do it every week: Dr. Paul Chin (robotic and partial knee replacement), Dr. Brian Flowers (hip and knee replacement on the Mako) and Dr. Rohan Gheewala (hip and knee, including revisions), at our own surgery center and the area hospitals where they hold privileges. Sterling Ridge is one of the leading joint replacement practices in the Houston area, serving The Woodlands, Spring, Conroe and Montgomery County.
Common questions
Does insurance cover robotic joint replacement? Does it cost more?
It's billed and covered as a joint replacement, and it does not typically cost you more here. Because our surgeons operate in an outpatient surgery center, the total is often less than the same surgery in a hospital. See cost and insurance for the numbers.
Is recovery faster with the robot?
Not by itself. Recovery speed depends mostly on you, your rehab and where you have surgery. What precision buys is a joint balanced correctly from day one, which makes rehab smoother and helps the implant last.
Do you use the robot on every joint, and is it Mako?
Most of our knee and hip replacements are robotic-assisted, and Mako is the system Dr. Brian Flowers uses. Partial knee replacement is where the robot matters most, because the implant has to fit a smaller space. Shoulder replacements use 3D preoperative planning instead. In your consult we'll show you the system and your plan.
The surgeons behind the robot
Board-certified and fellowship-trained. Read their stories, then decide.
Paul C. Chin, MD, PhD, FAAOS, FAANA
Brian Flowers, MD, FAAOS
Rohan Gheewala, MDMedically reviewed by Keith W.V. Johnson, MD, FAAOS · Updated October 21, 2026