Innovations in Total Knee Arthroplasty: Improved Technical Precision, But Unclear Clinical Benefits

Total knee arthroplasty has been an effective treatment for advanced degenerative joint disease. Traditional knee designs and surgical approaches have resulted in consistently high performance, but some patients may remain dissatisfied after their surgery. Several surgical innovations, including accelerometer-based navigation, patient-specific instrumentation, and robotic-assisted total knee arthroplasty, have been developed to improve the accuracy and precision of total knee arthroplasty surgery, with anticipated secondary benefits of improved functional outcomes and implant survivorship. This article reviews the current status of these technologies as reported in contemporary orthopedic literature. [Orthopedics. 2016; 39(4):217-220.].