[Sportschosun Jang Jong-ho] As the elderly population grows, the importance of treatment and management for hip disorders is increasing.
The hip joint is closely linked to everyday movements such as walking and standing, so if its function declines due to degenerative changes or fractures, it can affect daily life as a whole.
Against this backdrop, an academic exchange was held to share clinical experience and surgical techniques in the field of hip arthroplasty.
Moon Nam-hoon, medical director of Busan Himchan Hospital, recently attended '2026 HIP STAR YEONGNAM,' hosted by global medical device company Stryker.
The event focused on hip arthroplasty and hip and pelvic fractures, giving medical professionals a chance to share real-world cases and surgical experience, as well as discuss techniques for hip surgery.
In hip arthroplasty, surgeons must consider the patient's pelvic and femoral anatomy, the extent of joint damage, and leg length and alignment when replacing a damaged joint with an artificial one. Even for the same condition, each patient has a different anatomical structure and physical state, making preoperative planning and intraoperative judgment crucial.
At the event, a range of cases was discussed based on these real clinical situations. Rather than simply introducing a specific procedure or device, the discussions focused on what surgeons consider during the operation and how they apply their techniques.
It was especially meaningful because medical professionals shared their own surgical experiences and examined the various situations that can arise during hip arthroplasty, along with how to respond to them.
Moon also attended the event and took part in discussions on clinical cases and surgical techniques related to hip arthroplasty. Drawing on his accumulated robotic surgery experience in knee arthroplasty, he also exchanged views with other medical professionals on surgical planning and techniques in the hip field.
The academic event also aligns with Busan Himchan Hospital's recent move to expand robotic joint replacement surgery into the hip area.
In May, Busan Himchan Hospital launched its Robot Joint Replacement Surgery Center and introduced the Mako SmartRobotics Total Hip Arthroplasty (THA) system, following its existing knee arthroplasty procedures. The hospital now performs major robotic joint replacement surgeries using Mako, including partial knee replacement (UKA), total knee arthroplasty (TKA), and total hip arthroplasty (THA).
Busan Himchan Hospital began fully pursuing robotic joint replacement surgery in 2021. Since then, it has steadily built up experience in knee arthroplasty and recorded a cumulative 4,000 Mako robotic knee replacement procedures in January this year. The achievement is seen not merely as an increase in surgical volume, but as a process of continuously accumulating clinical experience and surgical data through the same robotic system.
There has also been a continued effort to emphasize the role of medical professionals in robotic surgery.
In May, Moon Nam-hoon obtained Stryker's Mako TKA Train-the-Trainer Program qualification. The program is designed to enable medical professionals to train others in surgical techniques based on their clinical experience and teaching capabilities in robotic joint replacement surgery. Moon has also taken part in academic presentations and training programs related to robotic joint replacement surgery.
In robotic joint replacement surgery, the equipment begins by analyzing the joint structure and creating a surgical plan based on the patient's preoperative CT images. During the operation, it assists the surgeon within the planned range. Ultimately, what matters is not the robot itself, but the medical team's judgment and experience in planning the surgery based on the patient's condition and responding to situations that arise during the procedure.
Busan Himchan Hospital's participation in academic exchanges such as '2026 HIP STAR YEONGNAM' is intended to go one step further than simply introducing new equipment, by also building the experience of medical professionals who apply it in actual care.
In particular, the knee and hip require different anatomical considerations and surgical processes, even though both involve joint replacement surgery.
Therefore, performing robotic hip arthroplasty requires not only an understanding of the equipment, but also clinical experience in hip surgery itself, surgical technique, and continuous learning from a variety of cases.
Moon Nam-hoon, medical director of Busan Himchan Hospital, said, "In hip arthroplasty, each patient has a different anatomical structure and condition, so the medical team's judgment before and during surgery is important." He added, "Opportunities like this academic event, where a range of cases and techniques are shared, help broaden decision-making in real clinical settings."
He added, "Robotic surgery is also not completed by the equipment alone. It is used based on the medical team's clinical experience and judgment, so we will continue to take part in academic exchanges and surgical training in the fields of knee and hip arthroplasty."
Kim Jeong-ho, president of Busan Himchan Hospital, said, "In the Busan-Ulsan-Gyeongnam region and the wider Yeongnam region, it had been difficult to accumulate enough clinical data and experience in robotic hip arthroplasty. But since the opening of the Robot Joint Replacement Surgery Center, Medical Director Moon Nam-hoon has steadily built clinical experience in robotic hip surgery, and the hospital has been systematically accumulating actual surgical cases and data." He added, "By sharing this clinical experience and data with other medical professionals through this academic event, we have laid the groundwork for the academic and clinical development of robotic hip arthroplasty in the region."
He continued, "The fact that Moon Nam-hoon's accumulated clinical experience does not remain a personal skill, but extends into sharing and exchange among medical professionals, makes it even more meaningful." He added, "Busan Himchan Hospital will continue to actively support the accumulation and sharing of such experience and data, so that it can contribute to the development of robotic hip arthroplasty in the Yeongnam region."
Jang Jong-ho, bellho@sportschosun.com
This article has been translated by GripLabs Mingo AI.
