World-first knee replacement procedure in Delhi
New Delhi, September 18, 2026: Doctors in Delhi have performed what they describe as the world’s first active robot-assisted knee replacement using a non-metallic ceramic implant. The procedure was carried out at Max Super Speciality Hospital, Saket, combining an active robotic surgical system with a ceramic knee implant.
Dr Sujoy Bhattacharjee, Chairman and Chief of the Max Institute of Robotic Joint Replacement, and German orthopaedic surgeon Prof Dr Michael Wagner discussed the procedure at a press conference.
Active robotics meets ceramic implant
Unlike conventional knee replacements that predominantly use metal components, the procedure involved a ceramic/non-metallic implant. According to the doctors, the active robotic system assists surgeons during key steps of the procedure and is designed to achieve sub-millimetre accuracy in bone preparation and implant positioning. Bhattacharjee said combining active robotic technology with non-metallic implants could open a new avenue in knee replacement surgery.
The doctors also discussed the potential advantages and limitations of ceramic implants, along with recent developments in robotic joint replacement and minimally invasive surgical techniques. They said advances in implant materials need to be supported by greater surgical precision, particularly in implant positioning.
