EARLY CLINICAL SUCCESS OF NOVEL TACTILE GUIDED UKA TECHNIQUE

Abstract

While novel surgical technologies offer potential for improved outcomes, the new techniques they require create concerns regarding the acquisition of new skills and clinical outcomes during the initial period of relative inexperience. The purpose of this study was to compare short-term clinical outcomes of medial unicompartmental knee arthroplasty (UKA) performed with a conventional technique versus a novel tactile-guided robotic technique.

Eighty-one medial UKA’s were performed by a single surgeon for isolated medial compartment osteoarthritis, 45 with a standard minimally invasive technique using an implant system with which the surgeon had significant prior experience. The other 36 were performed using a new haptic-guided technique with which the surgeon had no prior experience. Knee society scores (KSS) were collected preoperatively and at three, six, and twelve week follow-ups. Marmor ratings were also determined for each follow-up.

There was no significant difference in terms of average KSS, change in KSS, or Marmor rating between the two groups at any of the three follow-ups. At twelve weeks, for example, the average increase in the combined KSS was 83.6 in the conventional group and 79.7 in the haptic-guided group (p = 0.66). Furthermore, there were no significant differences in the measures that comprise these scores, such as range of motion, pain, and use of assist devices (p > 0.05).

Clinical results of an initial series of UKA’s using a new haptic-guided surgical technique are comparable to those using established techniques, thus alleviating concerns regarding the acquisition of a new skill set and inferior outcomes at the beginning of the learning curve.