Mako TKA 2.0 Exam – 2026/2027 UPDATED
REVIEW QUESTIONS WITH ANSWERS GRADED A+
• How can a surgeon create a unique preference profile in the Mako application? -✓✓ By
selecting 'New' from the 'Surgeon Name' dropdown, typing the desired name, selecting
preferences, and then saving.
• What are the two balancing workflow options available in the Mako application? -✓✓ Pre-
resection balancing and mid-resection balancing.
• What is the most commonly used workflow in the Mako application? -✓✓ Pre-resection
balancing.
• What does pre-resection balancing allow the surgeon to assess? -✓✓ The patient's coronal
and sagittal deformities and ligament tension through pose captures before bone resections.
• What is mid-resection balancing used for? -✓✓ To assess laxity after making bone resections,
especially in cases of non-correctable deformities.
• What feature does mid-resection balancing enable? -✓✓ The 'Tensioning' page for capturing
laxity poses post-initial bone resection.
• What is displayed instead of pass/fail notifications in the Mako application? -✓✓ Numerical
error values for probe check, Mako registration, bone registration, and bone preparation.
• What must be selected if the surgeon intends to use tibia intra-incisional pin placement? -✓✓
The 'Tibia intra-incisional pin placement' preference.
• What does the 'Page Auto Advance' tab do? -✓✓ It allows the application to automatically
advance to the next page upon completion of the previous step.
,• What is the recommended setting for auto rotation in the Bone Registration tab? -✓✓ It is
recommended to keep auto rotation enabled.
• What does the 'Planning' tab in the Mako application include? -✓✓ Multiple sub-tabs for
surgeon preferences of planning features, including Notifications, Display Axes, Joint Line,
Femur Planning, Tibia Planning, Alignment, and Laxity.
• What happens when a user's specified range for implant placement is exceeded? -✓✓ The
software highlights the values in blue on the main window and denotes notifications in blue
text.
• What is the purpose of the 'Joint Line' notification? -✓✓ To display guidance while positioning
the femoral component relative to the patient's joint line.
• What alignment theory is recommended in the Mako application? -✓✓ Mechanical
alignment.
• What are the recommended laxity targets for extension and flexion? -✓✓ Extension medial:
1.0 mm, Extension lateral: 1.0 mm, Flexion medial: 1.0 mm, Flexion lateral: 2.0 mm.
• What must be enabled for guidance to be displayed on the 'Implant Planning' and 'Trialing'
pages? -✓✓ The corresponding notifications for Joint Line, Femur Planning, Tibia Planning,
Alignment, and Laxity.
• What is the default setting for the 'Constitutional' alignment option? -✓✓ It is set to 'disabled'
and should be kept disabled until further notice.
• What does the 'Femur Planning' tab allow the user to set? -✓✓ Preferred ranges for
positioning the femoral component, specific to varus or valgus deformities.
,• What is the purpose of the 'Tibia Planning' tab? -✓✓ To provide guidance for positioning the
tibial component with preferred ranges for resection depth and angulation.
• What is the function of the 'Alignment' notification? -✓✓ To display guidance on the 'Implant
Planning' and 'Trialing' pages based on the selected alignment theory.
• What should the surgeon do if they select the 'Tibia intra-incisional pin placement'
preference? -✓✓ Remove tibia intra-incision pins prior to keel punch or stem ream.
• What is the significance of the 'Save & Exit' option? -✓✓ It saves any changes made in the
surgeon preference profile and returns to the patient information page.
• What does the 'Cancel' option do in the surgeon preference profile? -✓✓ It discards any
changes made and returns to the patient information page.
• What may cause changes in target laxities during joint assessment? -✓✓ Flexion contracture,
hyperextension, or other aspects of the native deformity.
• What are the two sub-tabs included in the Joint Assessment tab? -✓✓ General Balancing and
Tensioning.
• What does the 'Select fixed model' option determine? -✓✓ It determines if the femur or tibia
bone model remains fixed during joint assessment.
• What is the recommended capture method for initial assessment? -✓✓ Ratcheted laxity
capture using the Digital Tensioner.
• What does the 'Force tables' option allow the user to do? -✓✓ It allows the user to manually
input force data on the desired pages.
, • What are the common preferences for capturing extension and flexion poses? -✓✓ Extension
poses: M/L separately; Flexion poses: M/L together.
• What does enabling the osteophyte removal reminder do? -✓✓ It reminds the user to remove
osteophytes before joint assessment.
• What is the purpose of the Bone Preparation tab? -✓✓ It includes options for cut sequence
and stereotactic boundaries.
• What does the 'Cut sequence' option allow the user to define? -✓✓ It allows the user to
define the cutting sequence for bone preparation.
• What is the recommended workflow for femur first cutting? -✓✓ 1. Distal femur cut 2.
Posterior chamfer femur cut 3. Posterior femur cut 4. Anterior femur cut 5. Anterior chamfer
femur cut 6. Tibial cut.
• What is the recommended workflow for tibia first cutting? -✓✓ 1. Tibial cut 2. Posterior femur
cut 3. Anterior femur cut 4. Anterior chamfer femur cut 5. Distal femur cut 6. Posterior chamfer
femur cut.
• What does the 'Stereotactic boundaries' option do? -✓✓ It allows the user to automatically
enable 'Extended Boundaries' on preferred cuts.
• What should be set to the surgeon's preference in the workflow? -✓✓ Balancing workflow,
display accuracy numbers, and tibia intra-incisional pin placement.
• What is the purpose of enabling auto advance in the planning section? -✓✓ It allows
automatic progression through steps like probe check and patient landmarks.
• What alignment theory is set for planning? -✓✓ Mechanical alignment.
REVIEW QUESTIONS WITH ANSWERS GRADED A+
• How can a surgeon create a unique preference profile in the Mako application? -✓✓ By
selecting 'New' from the 'Surgeon Name' dropdown, typing the desired name, selecting
preferences, and then saving.
• What are the two balancing workflow options available in the Mako application? -✓✓ Pre-
resection balancing and mid-resection balancing.
• What is the most commonly used workflow in the Mako application? -✓✓ Pre-resection
balancing.
• What does pre-resection balancing allow the surgeon to assess? -✓✓ The patient's coronal
and sagittal deformities and ligament tension through pose captures before bone resections.
• What is mid-resection balancing used for? -✓✓ To assess laxity after making bone resections,
especially in cases of non-correctable deformities.
• What feature does mid-resection balancing enable? -✓✓ The 'Tensioning' page for capturing
laxity poses post-initial bone resection.
• What is displayed instead of pass/fail notifications in the Mako application? -✓✓ Numerical
error values for probe check, Mako registration, bone registration, and bone preparation.
• What must be selected if the surgeon intends to use tibia intra-incisional pin placement? -✓✓
The 'Tibia intra-incisional pin placement' preference.
• What does the 'Page Auto Advance' tab do? -✓✓ It allows the application to automatically
advance to the next page upon completion of the previous step.
,• What is the recommended setting for auto rotation in the Bone Registration tab? -✓✓ It is
recommended to keep auto rotation enabled.
• What does the 'Planning' tab in the Mako application include? -✓✓ Multiple sub-tabs for
surgeon preferences of planning features, including Notifications, Display Axes, Joint Line,
Femur Planning, Tibia Planning, Alignment, and Laxity.
• What happens when a user's specified range for implant placement is exceeded? -✓✓ The
software highlights the values in blue on the main window and denotes notifications in blue
text.
• What is the purpose of the 'Joint Line' notification? -✓✓ To display guidance while positioning
the femoral component relative to the patient's joint line.
• What alignment theory is recommended in the Mako application? -✓✓ Mechanical
alignment.
• What are the recommended laxity targets for extension and flexion? -✓✓ Extension medial:
1.0 mm, Extension lateral: 1.0 mm, Flexion medial: 1.0 mm, Flexion lateral: 2.0 mm.
• What must be enabled for guidance to be displayed on the 'Implant Planning' and 'Trialing'
pages? -✓✓ The corresponding notifications for Joint Line, Femur Planning, Tibia Planning,
Alignment, and Laxity.
• What is the default setting for the 'Constitutional' alignment option? -✓✓ It is set to 'disabled'
and should be kept disabled until further notice.
• What does the 'Femur Planning' tab allow the user to set? -✓✓ Preferred ranges for
positioning the femoral component, specific to varus or valgus deformities.
,• What is the purpose of the 'Tibia Planning' tab? -✓✓ To provide guidance for positioning the
tibial component with preferred ranges for resection depth and angulation.
• What is the function of the 'Alignment' notification? -✓✓ To display guidance on the 'Implant
Planning' and 'Trialing' pages based on the selected alignment theory.
• What should the surgeon do if they select the 'Tibia intra-incisional pin placement'
preference? -✓✓ Remove tibia intra-incision pins prior to keel punch or stem ream.
• What is the significance of the 'Save & Exit' option? -✓✓ It saves any changes made in the
surgeon preference profile and returns to the patient information page.
• What does the 'Cancel' option do in the surgeon preference profile? -✓✓ It discards any
changes made and returns to the patient information page.
• What may cause changes in target laxities during joint assessment? -✓✓ Flexion contracture,
hyperextension, or other aspects of the native deformity.
• What are the two sub-tabs included in the Joint Assessment tab? -✓✓ General Balancing and
Tensioning.
• What does the 'Select fixed model' option determine? -✓✓ It determines if the femur or tibia
bone model remains fixed during joint assessment.
• What is the recommended capture method for initial assessment? -✓✓ Ratcheted laxity
capture using the Digital Tensioner.
• What does the 'Force tables' option allow the user to do? -✓✓ It allows the user to manually
input force data on the desired pages.
, • What are the common preferences for capturing extension and flexion poses? -✓✓ Extension
poses: M/L separately; Flexion poses: M/L together.
• What does enabling the osteophyte removal reminder do? -✓✓ It reminds the user to remove
osteophytes before joint assessment.
• What is the purpose of the Bone Preparation tab? -✓✓ It includes options for cut sequence
and stereotactic boundaries.
• What does the 'Cut sequence' option allow the user to define? -✓✓ It allows the user to
define the cutting sequence for bone preparation.
• What is the recommended workflow for femur first cutting? -✓✓ 1. Distal femur cut 2.
Posterior chamfer femur cut 3. Posterior femur cut 4. Anterior femur cut 5. Anterior chamfer
femur cut 6. Tibial cut.
• What is the recommended workflow for tibia first cutting? -✓✓ 1. Tibial cut 2. Posterior femur
cut 3. Anterior femur cut 4. Anterior chamfer femur cut 5. Distal femur cut 6. Posterior chamfer
femur cut.
• What does the 'Stereotactic boundaries' option do? -✓✓ It allows the user to automatically
enable 'Extended Boundaries' on preferred cuts.
• What should be set to the surgeon's preference in the workflow? -✓✓ Balancing workflow,
display accuracy numbers, and tibia intra-incisional pin placement.
• What is the purpose of enabling auto advance in the planning section? -✓✓ It allows
automatic progression through steps like probe check and patient landmarks.
• What alignment theory is set for planning? -✓✓ Mechanical alignment.
