The value of patient-matched instrumentation in total knee arthroplasty

The purpose of the current prospective, randomized study was to compare the value of a new mechanically aligned patient-matched instrument system for total knee arthroplasty (TKA) (Visionaire; Smith & Nephew, Inc, Memphis, Tenn) (VIS) to that of standard TKA surgical instrumentation (STD). Twenty-nine primary TKA patients were enrolled and completed surgery (15 VIS and 14 STD). Postoperatively, mechanical alignment was significantly closer to neutral zero in the VIS group (1.7° vs 2.8°; P = .03). Furthermore, the VIS group demonstrated significant reductions in duration of hospital stay, operative time, incision length, and number of used instrument trays (P < .05). Although additional research is underway to confirm these preliminary results, this evidence suggests that patient-matched instrumentation may support repeatable improvements in surgical accuracy and hospital efficiency.