Robotic-Arm Assisted THA: Improved Acetabular Component Accuracy and Patient-Reported Outcome Measures

Area of Science:

• Orthopedic Surgery
• Robotics in Medicine
• Biomedical Engineering

Background:

• Accurate acetabular component placement is crucial for total hip arthroplasty (THA) success.
• Robotic-arm assisted (RA) THA offers potential for improved precision over conventional manual (CM) THA.
• Investigating RA vs. CM THA impacts on component positioning and patient outcomes is essential.

Purpose of the Study:

• To compare acetabular component placement accuracy between RA THA and CM THA.
• To evaluate patient-reported outcome measures (PROMs) and dislocation rates in both groups.
• To determine if RA THA leads to more consistent placement within the Lewinnek safe zone.

Main Methods:

• Randomized trial of 37 patients undergoing primary THA (17 RA, 20 CM).
• Preoperative and 3-month CT scans analyzed component version and inclination.
• PROMs assessed early clinical outcomes, including Hip Disability and Osteoarthritis Outcome Score (HOOS) and PROMIS-10.

Main Results:

• Fewer RA components (1/17) were outside the Lewinnek safe zone compared to CM (8/20).
• No dislocations occurred in either group; HOOS scores improved significantly in both.
• RA THA showed significantly higher 1-year HOOS symptom and sports score improvements; CM THA showed higher 6-month mental health improvement.

Conclusions:

• Robotic-arm assistance may enhance acetabular component placement consistency within the Lewinnek safe zone.
• Both RA and CM THA yield PROM improvements, with distinct effects on specific outcomes.
• Further research is needed to ascertain the long-term clinical significance of these observed differences.