Robot-Assisted Unicompartmental Knee Arthroplasty

Abstract 

The outcomes of unicompartmental knee arthroplasties (UKAs) have demonstrated inconsistent long-term survival. We report the first clinical series of UKA using a semiactive robotic system for the implantation of an inlay unicondylar knee arthroplasty. Ten patients were selected for this study. Preoperative mechanical leg alignment values ranged from 0.3° varus to 9.8° varus. A haptic guidance system was used; a detailed description is given in the manuscript. The setup time for the robot was 41 minutes; intraoperative registration process, 7.5 minutes (6-13 minutes); skin incision, 8 cm; robot-assisted burring, 34.8 minutes (18-50 minutes); mean tourniquet time, 87.4 minutes (68-113 minutes); and overall operation time, 132 minutes (118-152 minutes). The planned and intraoperative tibiofemoral angle was within 1°. The postoperative long leg axis radiographs were within 1.6°. Haptic guidance in combination with a navigation module allows for precise planning and execution of both inlay components in UKA.

Keywords: robot assisted, uniknee arthroplasty, haptic guidance system, medial osteoarthritis