Is robotic-assisted unicompartmental knee arthroplasty a safe procedure? A case control study

Area of Science:

• Orthopedic Surgery
• Robotics in Medicine
• Knee Arthroplasty

Background:

• Unicompartmental knee arthroplasty (UKA) is a common procedure for knee osteoarthritis.
• Robotic-assisted surgery is increasingly adopted in orthopedic procedures.
• Comparative data on robotic-assisted UKA versus conventional UKA is essential for clinical decision-making.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate early specific complications associated with robotic-assisted UKA.
• To compare revision and complication rates between robotic-assisted UKA and conventional UKA.
• To assess functional and radiological outcomes of both techniques.

Main Methods:

• A comparative study included 200 robotic-assisted UKAs and 191 conventional UKAs performed between 2013 and 2018.
• Data collected included revision rates, intraoperative and postoperative complications, and functional/radiological results.
• Follow-up was conducted at a minimum of one year post-surgery.

Main Results:

• Robotic-assisted UKA demonstrated a significantly lower revision rate (4%) compared to conventional UKA (11%, p=0.014).
• No specific complications related to the robotic system were observed.
• Functional outcome scores (KSS) were higher in the robotic-assisted group (p=0.01), while stiffness and infection rates were comparable.

Conclusions:

• Robotic-assisted UKA is safe, with no identified specific complications.
• The robotic approach is associated with a reduced revision rate compared to the conventional technique in short-term follow-up.
• Robotic-assisted UKA shows potential for improved functional outcomes in knee arthroplasty.