Patient-Reported Outcomes in Robotic-Assisted vs Manual Cementless Total Knee Arthroplasty

Area of Science:

• Orthopedic Surgery
• Biomedical Engineering
• Robotics in Medicine

Background:

• Robotic-assisted total knee arthroplasty (RA-TKA) utilizes virtual preoperative planning and intraoperative data.
• The goal is to enhance surgical precision and improve patient outcomes in total knee replacement.
• This study compares RA-TKA with traditional manual instrumentation.

Purpose of the Study:

• To compare clinical outcomes and patient-reported measures between RA-TKA and manual total knee arthroplasty (TKA).
• To evaluate the effectiveness of robotic assistance in primary TKA procedures.

Main Methods:

• Retrospective cohort review of 393 RA-TKAs versus 312 manual TKAs.
• Minimum 2-year follow-up at a single institution using identical cementless implants.
• Outcome measures included range-of-motion, Knee Society scores, WOMAC, FJS-12, KOOS-JR, patient satisfaction, complications, and survivorship.

Main Results:

• RA-TKA group showed significantly higher KSS Function, KSS Knee, WOMAC, and KOOS-JR scores (P < .001).
• Patient satisfaction was higher in the RA-TKA group (95.0% satisfied/very satisfied vs. 87.4%, P = .001).
• No significant differences in 3-year survivorship or complication rates were observed between groups.

Conclusions:

• RA-TKA significantly improves functional outcomes and patient satisfaction over manual instrumentation in primary TKA.
• Robotic assistance provides precise preoperative planning and intraoperative adjustments for optimal joint line and soft-tissue balance.
• RA-TKA represents an advancement in TKA, offering superior patient-reported outcomes without compromising safety or revision rates.