Dr. Travis Liddell combines a quadriceps-preserving subvastus approach with Mako SmartRobotics™ and modern cementless fixation for appropriate patients. This approach is designed to minimize unnecessary soft-tissue disruption, create a patient-specific surgical plan and achieve secure implant positioning.
- 20+ years of orthopedic surgical experience
- Thousands of joint replacement and arthroscopic procedures
- 1,000+ robotic-assisted knee replacements
A Muscle-Sparing, Subvastus Surgical Approach
A subvastus approach works beneath the quadriceps muscle, avoiding a surgical cut through the quadriceps tendon. This is a difference in surgical exposure — how the knee joint is accessed — separate from the technology used to plan and guide the procedure.
Personalize — CT-Based Robotic Planning
Mako uses CT-based 3D planning, intraoperative ligament assessment and haptic guidance. This planning technology helps create a surgical plan specific to each patient's anatomy and assists Dr. Liddell in executing it during surgery. Mako does not perform surgery or make decisions independently — Dr. Liddell guides every step.
See how Mako planning works in Total Knee Replacement and Partial Knee Replacement
Fixate — Modern Implant Fixation
A porous, press-fit implant allows bone to grow onto the implant surface when cementless fixation is appropriate. Cementless fixation is not appropriate for every patient — Dr. Liddell considers bone quality, anatomy, activity level and other clinical factors when selecting fixation.
Total or Partial Knee Replacement — Which Applies to You?
| Total Knee Replacement | Partial Knee Replacement | |
|---|---|---|
| Extent of arthritis treated | Affects most or all compartments of the knee | Limited to one compartment of the knee |
| What's preserved | Damaged joint surfaces are resurfaced | Healthy bone, ligaments and unaffected compartments are preserved |
| How candidacy is determined | Exam, imaging and overall joint condition | Same evaluation, plus confirmation that arthritis has not progressed beyond one compartment |
Dr. Liddell uses a subvastus approach that works beneath the quadriceps muscle rather than making the traditional incision through the quadriceps tendon. He can combine this approach with CT-based Mako planning, ligament assessment and haptic guidance for both total and partial knee replacement.
