Improved Functional Outcomes with Robotic Compared with Manual Total Hip Arthroplasty

Area of Science:

• Orthopedic Surgery
• Robotics in Medicine
• Biomechanical Engineering

Background:

• Accurate component positioning and hip biomechanics are crucial for functional outcomes after total hip arthroplasty (THA).
• Robotic-assisted THA (rTHA) enhances component accuracy, but its effect on functional outcomes remains under investigation.
• This study compares functional outcomes between rTHA and manual THA (mTHA).

Purpose of the Study:

• To compare operative time, estimated blood loss, postoperative complications, and patient-reported outcome measures (PROMs) between rTHA and mTHA.
• To evaluate the impact of robotic assistance on functional recovery and patient satisfaction following THA.

Main Methods:

• A retrospective cohort study comparing 100 rTHA cases with 100 consecutive mTHA cases.
• Data collected included operative time, blood loss, complications, and validated PROMs (SF-12, UCLA, WOMAC, mHHS) at one-year follow-up.
• Statistical analyses included chi-square and two-tailed t-tests.

Main Results:

• rTHA showed a significantly higher mean postoperative modified Harris Hip Score (mHHS) and UCLA activity score compared to mTHA.
• A greater proportion of rTHA patients achieved excellent mHHS scores (90-100) compared to mTHA patients.
• While operative time was slightly longer for rTHA, estimated blood loss was significantly reduced, with no difference in overall complication rates.

Conclusions:

• Robotic-assisted THA leads to significantly improved patient-reported functional outcomes, specifically higher mHHS and UCLA scores.
• This study provides the first evidence that rTHA enhances functional outcomes post-surgery.
• Further multi-center studies are warranted to confirm these findings and assess long-term benefits.