St. Peter's Health Orthopedic Team Performs Knee Replacement Surgeries with New Advanced Robotic Technology

January 30, 2025

Orthopedic Surgery Team

On January 21, St. Peter's Orthopedic Surgeon Dr. Hale and team performed the first surgeries at St. Peter's with Susie's guidance. 

St. Peter's Health is proud to announce the addition of the DePuy Synthes VELYS™ Robotic-Assisted Solution, nicknamed "Susie," to its Orthopedic Surgery team. With this latest advancement in surgical technology, St. Peter’s Board Certified orthopedic surgeons Dr. Kerry Hale and Dr. Jeffrey Dickson perform knee replacement surgeries by fine-tuning the alignment and rotation of the knee to match each patient's unique anatomy, leading to quicker recoveries and higher patient satisfaction with surgical outcomes.

For years, surgeons have utilized hand-held computer navigation to aid in knee replacements. The VELYS™ offers deeper insights into the bone and soft tissue structure of each knee, allowing surgeons to precisely place components and optimize knee kinematics for each patient.

"St. Peter’s continues to invest in equipment and technology as part of our commitment to the highest standards in surgical care and patient experience,” said Dr. Hale. “With Susie, we offer state-of-the-art surgical care right here in Helena, helping people return to their daily activities more quickly, with most going home the same day of their surgery.” 

St. Peter’s four Board Certified orthopedic surgeons and entire orthopedic care team provide comprehensive surgical and non-surgical care including joint replacement; knee, shoulder, hand and spine surgery; trauma surgery; and fracture care. In addition to Dr. Hale and Dr. Dickson, the team includes spine surgeon Dr. Patrick Curry and trauma surgeon Dr. Annie Knierim. Learn more at sphealth.org/ortho