From Caregiver to Patient: Robotic Surgery Relieves Teresa's Knee Pain

The wear and tear on Teresa's knees after 40 years of nursing made just walking painful. Knee replacement surgery performed with robotic-assisted technology has her back on the move.

Virtua patient Teresa walks with her dog on a leash in her yard

Updated October 27, 2025

Being a nurse can be physically demanding—just ask Teresa Verchio-Giorgi.

For Teresa, an intensive care and emergency department nurse at a South Jersey hospital for 40 years, the wear and tear on her knees made walking painful.

“You are on your feet constantly, walking on the concrete floors, lifting patients. I noticed my knees were getting more uncomfortable. I would wake up in the middle of the night,” said Teresa. “You end up taking lots of pain meds.”

An MRI revealed Teresa had severe bone-on-bone arthritis in her right knee. Apprehensive of surgery, she and her doctor tried treatments like cortisone and gel injections and physical therapy.

“She tried to stay active and push through it, but wasn’t getting any relief,” said Jason Mora, DO, a hip and knee surgeon with Virtua Reconstructive Orthopedics. “At that point, her doctor referred Teresa to me.”

With Dr. Mora, Teresa found a surgeon who put her in the driver’s seat, offering options, including a robotic-assisted approach that promised less pain and a quicker recovery.

How Robotic Knee Surgery Restores Natural Movement

In August 2023, Dr. Mora used the Mako robotic system to replace Teresa’s right knee. A CT scan creates a 3D virtual model, allowing the surgeon to more precisely evaluate your bone structure, joint alignment, and surrounding bone and tissue to optimally determine the size and placement of the implant.

In the operating room, the surgeon guides the system’s robotic arm and pin-size sensors to remove arthritic bone and cartilage from the knee and insert the new joint.

“By sparing muscle and precisely balancing the ligaments, we are able to restore the natural movement of your knee,” said Dr. Mora. “We’re among the top performers of MAKO procedures in the country, so we have the experience to ensure patients receive the most customized fit and restore their range of motion.”

Incisions can be smaller than with traditional surgeries and are closed with absorbable stitches, leaving a less visible scar. Patients typically return home the same day as the procedure.

“I anticipated a rough road, but it was not. They had me walking up and down stairs in the recovery room,” she said. “I stayed downstairs after I got home from surgery. But the next night, I walked 13 steps up to my bedroom. I only took Tylenol for pain, and I was in physical therapy two or three days after surgery.”

“The first hour after surgery, we try to have them up and moving. We want them to put their full weight on their knee, bending and moving it right away,” said Dr. Mora. “In the days and weeks with PT, we progress from a walker to a cane to nothing at all.”

Returning to an active lifestyle after knee surgery has been ‘The Best Medicine’

Most people return to their normal activities six to eight weeks after surgery.

Now retired, the Runnemede resident is back walking her golden retriever, gardening, and playing on the floor with her three grandsons, whom she calls “the best medicine in the world.”

“I was used to being in pain,” said Teresa. “Now, after surgery, I say, ‘Holy Christmas! I can get off the couch, and it doesn’t hurt.’”