Crestcare Zoutpansberg Hospital Completes First Robotics-Assisted Knee Surgeries

• Hospital’s first robotics-guided knee replacement procedures which mark a new era for orthopaedic surgery in the region

• Approximately 23% of knee replacements in South Africa are done through some form of technology

• Smith & Nephew’s Cori platform enables surgeons to collect real time data during surgery

  • Creates a personalised, patient specific surgical plan intra-operatively

• Patients may recover faster, and may experience less pain and a quicker return to daily activities

05 August 2025: Louis Trichardt, Limpopo - In a major milestone for orthopaedic surgery in the Limpopo province, Crestcare Zoutpansberg Hospital recently performed its first-ever robotic assisted total knee replacement surgeries using the state-of-the-art Cori (Core of Real Intelligence) Robotics System from Smith & Nephew.

The two elderly patients, one from Malamulele and the other from Madomibzha were the first in the region to benefit from this globally recognised technology that has already transformed lives in the United States, Europe, Australia, Singapore, and other parts of South Africa.

Leading the procedures was Dr Jan Makwela, a resident orthopaedic surgeon at Crestcare Zoutpansberg Hospital, assisted by Dr Mukansi an orthopaedic surgeon, and Dr Mashiti the anaesthetist. Dr Makwela completed his Cori Robotics certification early this year. These procedures represent a personal milestone and strategic goal for Dr Makwela, who is committed to bringing innovation to patient care and placing Crestcare Zoutpansberg firmly on the map as a forward-thinking medical facility.

The Cori system from Smith & Nephew’s second-generation robotic platform, builds upon its predecessor, Navio, launched in 2012. Cori enables surgeons to collect real-time data from the patient’s bone structure intra-operatively. Ligament gap balancing data is also collected during surgery and added to the personalised plan designed for the patient. Cori’s handheld Robotic technology keeps the surgeon in full control while executing the designed patient specific plan during the precision bone milling phase of the total knee replacement surgery.

Backed by robust clinical evidence from several global orthopaedic registry sites, Cori Robotics represents a leap forward in knee and hip arthroplasty. These first surgeries at Crestcare Zoutpansberg mark a new era for orthopaedic surgery in the region.

Dr Makwela concluded,