Making strides with Mako

New approach revolutionizes hip replacement surgery

Bend. Lift. Stand. Carry.

For Burke Matyas, the labor that goes along with being a restaurateur took a toll on his body. Standing up to 15 hours a day, at times, for 18 years made him feel three decades older.

“Every morning, I bend down, I light the steam table, light the fryer,” Matyas said. “With my job, I’m standing all day. I started feeling pain when I moved. Even putting on socks and shoes was tough. I was 56 years old and walking like I was 85.”

The Lockport, Ill., resident was the first patient of Community Healthcare System to undergo the Mako Total Hip procedure. Jonathan Edgington, MD, fellowship-trained orthopedic surgeon and medical director of joint replacements at Community Healthcare System, replaced Matyas’ right hip Nov. 29, 2023, and his left hip Feb. 7, 2024, at  St. Mary Medical Center in Hobart. With surgery in the morning, Matyas was climbing stairs that night with the help of a physical therapist.

“They encourage you to walk and get exercise,” he said.

Although it can take up to a year to experience the full benefit of a hip replacement, Matyas said he immediately noticed a difference after surgery.

“I was amazed at how good I felt,” he said.

He went home the same day of his surgeries and started physical therapy soon after.

“People say I look taller because I’m standing more upright,” Matyas said.

He is glad he chose the surgical route.

“You don’t want to take pain pills all your life,” he said. “Technology is so great nowadays. I thought, ‘Why not try it?’ ”

The Mako System uses a virtual 3D model to allow surgeons to personalize each patient’s surgical plan so that there is a clear course of action for the implant.

“With traditional hip replacements, we plan the surgery in two dimensions,” Edgington said. “This three-dimensional model allows us to digitally template the procedure ahead of time. These advances in the technology allow us to plan in great detail before the day of surgery. We are able to simulate the surgery before the patient comes to the operating room. This helps us avoid any unforeseen circumstances for the actual day of surgery.”

The robotic-arm allows the surgeon to reliably execute the plan with a high level of accuracy and predictability.

“We are able to accurately place the components in an efficient manner,” Edgington said. “This allows for less swelling and less pain, leading to a quicker recovery. These accurately placed parts allow for better long-term performance of the hip replacement.”

As an orthopedic surgeon, Edgington’s main objective is to restore quality of life for his patients.

“What I offer in Northwest Indiana is a place where a patient can have an anterior robotic total hip replacement by a fellowship-trained total joint replacement surgeon,” he said. “People do not have to suffer with hip pain and the loss of mobility that often accompanies it.” 

Matyas was an ideal patient for the Mako Total Hip procedure, an option for adults who suffer from degenerative joint disease. Growing up, he was active in sports. As an adult, the stress on his body compounded – both from golfing and spending hours on his feet owning and operating Pop’s Italian Beef and Sausage in Tinley Park, Ill. Matyas managed the pain for a while, but the bone-on-bone friction became unbearable. 

Edgington said patients like Matyas who have failed to find relief from nonsurgical treatment options are excellent candidates for a robotic total hip. Seeing his patients’ lives improve after surgery is rewarding. 

“It’s the best part of the job,” he said. “We form lifelong bonds with our patients, especially during follow-up visits when they share how much better their lives are.” 
Matyas is grateful for Edgington’s attentiveness.

“He is great and totally down to earth,” Matyas said. “He followed up with me the night of the surgery, shot me a text the next day and was available to answer my questions.” 

Matyas experienced that high standard of care, compassion and professionalism throughout his experience at  St. Mary Medical Center. As a restaurant owner, he knows the value of customer service, he said.

For more information about robotic-assisted joint  surgery at Community Healthcare System, visit  COMHS.org/Mako.