Staff Reports | Community Updates
HonorHealth, a Valley‑based nonprofit healthcare system serving more than five million people in the greater Phoenix area, announced it is the first health system in the country to perform joint replacement surgery using Stryker’s new Mako RPS handheld robotics technology.
The system allows surgeons to use real‑time data and robotic guidance to support planning and performing joint replacement procedures, according to a press release.
The handheld device is designed to help surgeons make more accurate bone preparation and implant placement decisions based on a patient’s anatomy. By integrating robotics with the work of HonorHealth’s board‑certified orthopedic surgeons, patients may see improved alignment and a more personalized surgical experience.
“This technology allows us to deliver highly personalized care with an unprecedented level of accuracy and precision,” Dr. Doug Werner, orthopedic surgeon at HonorHealth, said. “It gives us the ability to plan each procedure in meticulous detail while remaining adaptable in the operating room. This combination of precision and flexibility helps us optimize alignment, protect healthy tissue, and ultimately improve patient outcomes — enabling patients to move better, experience less pain, and recover with greater confidence.”
HonorHealth Orthopedics offers minimally invasive techniques and coordinated care that supports patients before, during and after surgery.
“Bringing this handheld robotics technology to HonorHealth reflects our commitment to investing in innovations that support patient care,” Gayle Cassidy, AVP of HonorHealth Orthopedics, said. “This technology has the potential to reduce case time and anesthesia exposure, and it may eliminate the need for pre‑operative radiation or full‑leg CT scans in some cases. Most importantly, it supports our goal of delivering safer, more personalized joint replacement care for the communities we serve.”
The addition of handheld robotics aligns with the system’s focus on combining new tools with clinical expertise to support joint replacement care.
The first procedure using the device was completed on Jan. 13, 2026, at HonorHealth Sonoran Crossing Medical Center. More than 55 procedures have been performed to date.
