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Robotic Knee Replacement in Honolulu

Serving Honolulu and urban Oahu. When knee arthritis no longer responds to non-surgical care, robotic-assisted knee replacement can relieve pain and restore function — with 3D planning tailored to your anatomy and muscle-sparing, often cementless technique.

Request an Appointment → Call (808) 439-6201
Honolulu clinic

Ala Moana Medical Building, 1441 Kapi‘olani Blvd., Suite 2020

  • Robotic 3D planning for precise alignment
  • Muscle-sparing, tourniquet-less options
  • Cementless fixation for durable, biologic bonding
  • Same-day discharge for eligible patients
Dr. Paul Norio Morton, MDWritten and medically reviewed by Paul Norio Morton, MD, FAAOS, FAAHKS  ·  Board-certified orthopedic surgeon · Last reviewedJuly 2026

How It Works

How robotic-assisted knee replacement works

The robot is a tool that helps Dr. Morton plan and execute your procedure precisely. It assists the surgeon — it does not perform surgery on its own.

1

3D plan from your scan

A pre-operative scan builds a 3D model of your knee, so your implant plan is personalized to your anatomy with the ROSA® or CORI® system.

2

Surgeon-controlled precision

Dr. Morton uses real-time data to position the implant accurately. Robotic assistance is designed to help place components within the plan.

3

Muscle-sparing technique

Where appropriate, a subvastus, muscle-sparing approach works around the muscle — designed to support a more comfortable early recovery. Recovery varies.

4

Guided recovery

You start moving soon after surgery with a plan from our in-house PB&J Physical Therapy team — right here on Oahu.

ROSA Knee software evaluation screen showing flexion, alignment, and soft-tissue balance measurements
The ROSA® evaluation screen: real-time flexion, alignment, and soft-tissue balance data Dr. Morton uses to position the implant accurately. For illustration.

Where Your Care Happens

Local clinic, expert surgery

Robotic total knee replacement is performed at The Queen's Medical Center with the ROSA® system, or at Adventist Health Castle with the CORI® system.

ROSA®The Queen's Medical Center

Robotic total knee

CORI®Adventist Health Castle

Robotic hip & knee

The ROSA Knee robotic surgical assistant by Zimmer Biomet
The ROSA® Knee system, used for robotic total knee replacement at The Queen's Medical Center.

Is It Right For You?

Who is a candidate for knee replacement

Knee replacement is usually considered for advanced arthritis when non-surgical care — activity changes, therapy, medication, and injections — no longer gives lasting relief. The American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons notes that the decision is based on your pain and loss of function, not your age.

Because we offer both surgical and non-surgical care, Dr. Morton will review every option honestly and recommend surgery only when it is the right fit. Not everyone is a candidate.

You may be a candidate if

  • Knee pain limits walking, stairs, or sleep
  • Non-surgical care no longer gives lasting relief
  • X-rays show arthritis or joint damage
  • You're ready to talk through your options with a surgeon

What To Expect

From evaluation to recovery

Timelines are general and vary by patient.

Before surgery

An evaluation and X-rays confirm the diagnosis. If you proceed, a pre-operative CT builds your 3D plan, and we coordinate medical clearance and prehab exercises to prepare.

Day of surgery

Your procedure takes place at The Queen's Medical Center or Adventist Health Castle, with the full resources of a hospital on hand.

Recovery

You begin moving soon after surgery with guidance from our in-house PB&J Physical Therapy team, coordinating your rehab right here on Oahu.

Knee Replacement by the Numbers

What registry data and peer-reviewed research show about modern robotic-assisted knee replacement.

82%
Still Working at 25 Years
Lancet systematic review of knee-replacement longevity from registry data (Evans et al., 2019)
0
Alignment Outliers >3° With Robotics
Zero robotic-assisted knees fell outside 3° of the planned alignment vs 24% with conventional instruments in a randomized trial (Song et al., Clin Orthop Relat Res 2013)
Less
Postoperative Pain
Robotic-arm assisted TKA was associated with decreased pain and improved early functional recovery vs conventional technique (Kayani et al., Bone Joint J 2018)
Same day
Discharge for Eligible Patients
Selected patients go home the day of surgery with a physical-therapy plan

Hospital-Based Robotic Surgery

Robotic precision with full hospital resources

In urban Honolulu, your surgery is performed in an accredited hospital — the right setting when you want advanced monitoring and support close at hand.

Two robotic platforms

ROSA® at The Queen's Medical Center and CORI® at Adventist Health Castle — matched to your procedure.

Full hospital support

On-site medical and anesthesia teams — reassuring for patients who want that added layer of care.

Surgeon-led

Dr. Morton directs the plan, the technology, and your care from evaluation through recovery.

Central & convenient

Our Ala Moana clinic keeps consults, imaging, and follow-up easy to reach in town.

2-Minute Check

Am I a candidate for robotic knee replacement?

Answer a few quick questions. This is educational and is not a diagnosis — only an evaluation can tell for sure.

Do you have hip or knee pain that limits walking, stairs, or sleep?

Have non-surgical treatments (therapy, injections, medication) stopped giving lasting relief?

Have X-rays shown arthritis or joint damage, or has a provider mentioned it?

Answer all 3 questions to see your result.

Evidence & Research

What the evidence says about robotic-assisted knee replacement

Robotic assistance is a tool that helps the surgeon plan and position your implant. Here is a plain-language summary of what peer-reviewed research and the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons report — with the honest limits.

Robotic assistance is designed to place the implant more precisely. In a 2022 systematic review and meta-analysis, robotic-arm–assisted knee replacement was associated with more accurate component positioning and fewer alignment outliers than conventional, manual technique.1

In a controlled study, robotic-arm assistance was associated with less early post-operative pain and improved early functional recovery compared with conventional jig-based technique — though recovery varies for every patient.2

Larger reviews are more measured: robotic assistance consistently improves alignment accuracy, but whether that translates into better long-term pain relief, function, and implant durability than conventional technique is still being studied.3

Knee replacement itself is well established. The American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons reports that more than 90% of modern total knee replacements are still functioning well 15 years after surgery, and that serious complications such as joint infection occur in fewer than 2% of patients.4

Robotic technology assists the surgeon; it does not perform surgery on its own. Comparisons are to conventional (non-robotic) technique only. Not everyone is a candidate, and individual results and recovery vary. This page is educational and is not a substitute for medical advice.

References

  1. Zhang J, Ndou WS, Ng N, et al. Robotic-arm assisted total knee arthroplasty is associated with improved accuracy and patient reported outcomes: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Knee Surg Sports Traumatol Arthrosc. 2022;30(8):2677–2695. View source ↗
  2. Kayani B, Konan S, Tahmassebi J, et al. Robotic-arm assisted total knee arthroplasty is associated with improved early functional recovery compared with conventional jig-based total knee arthroplasty. Bone Joint J. 2018;100-B(7):930–937.
  3. Redefining Knee Arthroplasty: Does Robotic Assistance Improve Outcomes Beyond Alignment? An Evidence-Based Umbrella Review. J Clin Med. 2025;14(8):2588. View source ↗
  4. American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons (AAOS), OrthoInfo. Total Knee Replacement. Accessed 2026. View source ↗
Dr. Paul Norio Morton, MD, orthopedic surgeon at Pacific Bone & Joint

Written and Medically Reviewed By

Paul Norio Morton, MD

Board-certified orthopedic surgeon (American Board of Orthopaedic Surgery). Fellowship-trained; Hawai‘i's first fellowship-trained robotic hip & knee replacement surgeon.

ABOS Board-CertifiedFAAOSFAAHKS

Last reviewedJuly 2026  ·  Read Dr. Morton's full bio →

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Robotic Knee Replacement in Honolulu starts with an evaluation

Request an appointment on Klara or call (808) 439-6201 — we'll confirm whether this is right for you.

Request an Appointment → Call (808) 439-6201
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