[Comparison study on short-term efficacy between ROSA orthopedic surgical robotic-assisted and traditional manual...

To compare the short-term clinical outcomes and radiographic results of robotic-assisted total knee arthroplasty (RATKA) using the ROSA robot with those of traditional total knee arthroplasty (TKA).

A retrospective analysis was conducted on 55 patients who underwent unilateral TKA due to end-stage knee osteoarthritis(KOA), defined as Kellgren-Lawrence grade Ⅲ or Ⅳ, between June 2024 and December 2024. The patients were divided into two groups based on the surgical approach:the RATKA group and the conventional TKA group. The RATKA group included 25 patients, consisting of 6 males and 19 females, aged from 46 to 84 years old with a mean of ( 65.20±1.93 ) years old. Among them, 11 cases involved the left knee and 14 cases involved the right knee. The traditional TKA group included 30 patients, consisting of 5 males and 25 females, aged from 57 to 85 years old with an average of (68.73±1.36) years old. Among them, 13 cases involved the left knee and 17 cases involved the right knee. Operation time, total perioperative blood loss, and postoperative complications were compared between the two groups. Radiographic evaluation included preoperative and postoperative hip-knee-ankle (HKA) angle, and postoperative lateral tibial component angle (LTC), frontal femoral component angle (FFC), sagittal lateral femoral component angle(LFC), and frontal tibial component (FTC), for the assessment of lower extremity mechanical axis and prosthesis position. The American Knee Society score(KSS), visual analogue scale(VAS) for pain, and range of motion (ROM) of the knee joint preoperatively and postoperatively were compared between the two groups to evaluate the short-term clinical efficacy.

All surgeries in both groups were successfully completed without intraoperative vascular or nerve injury. Primary wound healing (GradeⅠ) was achieved in all cases, and no infection occurred during follow-up. A total of 55 patients completed the follow-up, with a follow-up duration ranging from 3 to 6 months with a mean of (4.0±1.1) months. The average operation time was (106.56±9.70) minutes in the RATKA group and (90.10±10.97) minutes in the traditional TKA group, with a statistically significant difference between the two groups (P<0.05). However, there was no statistically significant difference in the total perioperative blood loss between the two groups(P>0.05). Postoperative X-ray examinations showed that the prosthesis was well-positioned in all patients of both groups, with no signs of prosthesis loosening or dislocation. On the 1st day postoperatively, the HKA and FFC angle in the RATKA group were (179.25±2.50)° and (89.24±1.58)°, while those in the traditional TKA group were (177.68±2.73)° and (88.25±1.91)°, both showing statistically significant differences(P<0.05). In contrast, there were no statistically significant differences in the FTC, LTC, or LFC angles between the two groups(P>0.05). At 1 month and 3 months postoperatively, the ROM values were (110.68±4.92)° and (117.28±4.91)° in the RATKA group, and (106.25±6.89)° and (113.43±7.91)° in the traditional TKA group, both showing statistically significant difference(P<0.05). Nevertheless, there were no statistically significant differences in the VAS (both at rest and during movement) or KSS between the two groups at 1 month and 3 months postoperatively(P>0.05). Compared with the preoperative data, both groups showed significant improvements in the HKA angle, VAS(at rest and during movement), knee ROM, and KSS (both clinical and functional scores) postoperatively, with statistically significant differences(P<0.05).

Compared to traditional TKA, ROSA robotic system-assisted TKA in patients with severe knee osteoarthritis achieved superior accuracy in prosthesis positioning and lower limb mechanical axis restoration, showing satisfactory clinical outcomes. Although short-term outcomes are favorable, long-term clinical efficacy requires further investigation.