James J. Rubano, M.D., MBA

Yes. Dr. Rubano specializes in robotic-assisted joint replacement designed to improve surgical precision and recovery for qualified patients.

Dr. Rubano performs outpatient hip and knee replacement procedures for appropriate candidates.

He specializes in hip and knee arthritis, joint pain, mobility limitations, and failed joint replacements.

Yes. He completed a dedicated fellowship in hip and knee replacement surgery at New England Baptist Hospital.

When pain and discomfort are impacting every day activities and overall quality of life and conservative, non-operative treatments are no longer working is when you should discuss with your orthopedic surgeon to disif it is time to proceed with surgery.

Depending on your overall health and other medical issues including your social support system, your orthopedic surgeon will determine if you are a candidate for same-day surgery. Currently more than 80% of Dr. Rubano’s surgeries are same-day.

Hip replacement recovery is typically faster and less painful, with most patients returning to normal activities within 4-6 weeks. Knee replacement recovery generally is a little longer in 6-8 week range. A walker/cane are used as needed for first 1-2 weeks and then independent ambulation after that.

Traditional or Manual Total Knee Replacement is a highly successful operation that improves patients’ quality of life and functionality. However, studies show that up to 15-20% of those patients remain unsatisfied after surgery. Robotic-assisted knee replacement has gained increased attention and popularity for patients in Delaware and the surrounding areas based on the following potential advantages in the current literature:

• Less pain
• Less invasive
• Faster recovery
• More accurate and precise placement of prothetic
• Better alignment
• Improved bone preservation
• Better functional outcome
• Longer implant survival

Dr. Rubano performs an alternative minimally-invasive, muscle-sparing approach to hip replacement in the form of the STAR (Superior Transverse Anatomic Reconstruction) Approach which like the anterior approach was designed to minimize tissue damage reduce pain, and accelerate recovery.

Dr Rubano does not cut the tendon since he performs a quadriceps tendon sparing knee replacement.

Partial knee replacement is a highly successful surgery like total knee replacement but tends to be less painful with a faster recovery. However, most patients who ready to have knee replacement are no longer candidates for partial knee replacement. This would be a discussion and decision you would make with Dr. Rubano after going over your history, examination, and imaging studies.

In order to perform high-quality, high-volume same-day surgery, one of Dr. Rubano’s biggest focus is on managing post-operative pain with minima, if any, use of opioid or narcotic medication. Several non-opioids are used both pre-, intra-, and post-operatively in the form of oral tablets, intra-venous medications, and intra-articular injection. Pain is not as much of an issue for hip replacements as it is for knee replacements. For qualified knee replacement patients Dr. Rubano offers a Cryoneurolysis treatment (Iovera) prior to surgery which has been shown to potentially reduce pain and opioid use post-operatively along with improved range of motion. This advanced, non-opioid pain management technique is helpful for patients undergoing knee replacement in Delaware and the surrounding areas. Data has shown increased ROM and decreased opioid use in patients at 12 weeks post op.