The Midwest beckoned him home.
Dr. Robert Cagle, M.D., born and raised in northwest Indiana, is the Quad-Cities newest orthopaedic surgeon. He is bringing his expertise in robotic-assisted surgery, cosmetic hip replacement surgery with a bikini incision, minimally invasive hip, knee, and revision joint replacement. He will begin seeing patients at Orthopaedic Specialists, in Bettendorf and Clinton starting March 1st, 2021.
Dr. Cagle received his undergraduate degree from Purdue University and received his medical degree from Indiana University School of Medicine. His performed his orthopaedic training at the world renowned Cleveland Clinic in Cleveland Ohio where he focused on minimally joint replacement, hip preservation, sports medicine, and trauma.
Practicing in California for the past few years, he yearned to return to his Midwest roots and bring with him this world class care utilizing cutting edge technology in the world of orthopaedics. “I had to answer the call when the opportunity came available to bring this wonderful technology to the Quad-Cities area, which is very close to where I grew up,” said Cagle.
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Orthopaedic Specialists is the first to bring this advance technology to the area. Previously, area residents had to travel to either Peoria or Cedar Rapids.
In describing the benefits of minimally invasive robotically-assisted surgery Cagle can’t stress enough that the MAKO SmartRobotic technology aids the surgeon, it does not perform the surgery.
“This machine is not like the Terminator that you see in the movies. It’s not this autonomous entity that just comes into the surgery suite and does surgery for the surgeon. It is still the surgeon that does surgery on you. This is just a tool that we use to increase our proficiency and our precision in surgery,” Cagle said.
The MAKO SmartRobotic technology also allows the surgeon to customize the surgical plan like never before.
“For instance, the way that we have always done surgery up to this point is you get a static plan before surgery. I would cut at a predetermined angle before I even get into the operating room. I do that and then if it isn’t quite right, I have to do soft tissue releases such as ligaments or other structures around the knee to make that work.
“Now with robotics, we also get a CT scan, which gives us a three dimensional model of your hip or your knee in virtual cyberspace. At the time of surgery, I take that bony anatomy, combine it with your soft tissue anatomy, and then modify the plan before I’ve ever done any bone work at all.
“So you get a truly custom surgery done with precision with robotic assistance, and that is the real power of robotically assisted surgeries. No two people get the same surgical experience,” Cagle said.
RECOVERY BENEFITS
The Mako technology has been available in the United States for 14 years, and in that time over 300,000 orthopaedic robotic-assisted procedures have been performed. Study after study has shown that patients undergoing robotic-assisted surgery with the MAKO have enjoyed a reduction in post-op pain, reduced morphine consumption, a reduced length of stay at the facility, and report a greater satisfaction with their care.
PERFECT MATCH
In addition to its geographical location, Dr. Cagle is thrilled about bringing this technology to Mississippi Valley Surgical Center. “As the first and only AAAHC Advanced Orthopaedic Certified Surgery Center in the state of Iowa, it builds on the tradition of bringing the latest advances in technology and techniques to the Quad Cities. Lead by Dr. John Hoffman (Director of Outpatient Surgery, MVSC) is one of the few surgery centers in the country to perform over 3,000 joint replacement surgeries. “I believe this will be a huge benefit to our community. The true customization of component replacement is a total game-changer in terms of quality and patient experience.”
CONSERVATIVE APPROACH
According to Dr. Cagle “The first thing I always say is that we have lots of techniques available today to help you live your life without having to suffer pain. Just because you seek treatment doesn’t mean you’re going to surgery.
“My philosophy is that we start with conservative treatments in the form of injections, physical therapy, we talk about weight loss, we do anti-inflammatory medications, there’s bracing, activity modifications, all these different modalities that can help alleviate your hip or knee pain without just going to surgery,” Cagle said.
When all else fails the robotically assisted surgery can help you get back to what you enjoy pain-free.
“We now have a way to do a highly custom surgery with extreme precision to get you back into life and enjoying your lifestyle that you want to live,” Cagle said.
Dr. Cagle will be the Director of Orthopaedic Robotic Assisted Surgery at both Mississippi Valley Surgery Center (MVSC) and UnityPoint Health Bettendorf, but will not be the only surgeon utilizing MAKO SmartRobotic technology. Veteran Quad-Cities orthopaedic surgeons Dr. John Hoffman and Dr. Tuvi Mendel (Director of Shoulder and Ankle Surgery at MVSC) are also certified to perform robotically assisted surgery.