Study: Conventional and Computer-Assisted TKA Offer Same Outcomes

Although computer-assisted surgery-total knee arthroplasty provided a more accurate estimation of the sagittal mechanical axis and alignment of the femoral component in both the sagittal and axial planes for patients with advanced valgus arthritic knees, it did not result in better clinical results compared with conventional total knee arthroplasty.

Researchers in Taiwan reviewed the medical records, clinical data, radiographic parameters and functional outcomes for 41 patients with arthritic knees who either underwent conventional total knee arthroplasty (TKA) or computer-assisted surgery (CAS)-TKA between January 2005 and December 2010.

Results showed significant differences between the groups in the postoperative sagittal mechanical axis due to differences in the femoral flexion angle, as well as statistical significance in the femoral rotational angle shown in the CAS-TKA group. The researchers also found a higher percentage of patients in the CAS-TKA group achieved the ideal reconstructed sagittal mechanical axis, femoral flexion angle and femoral rotational angle.

According to study results, active range of motion improved from 98 degrees to 112 degrees in the conventional TKA group and from 96 degrees to 115 degrees in the CAS-TKA group. After surgery, both groups experienced improved mean Hospital for Special Surgery score.

Using the International Knee Score rating system, the researchers found mean pain score improved from 16 to 48, mean clinical knee score improved from 40 to 96 and mean IKS functional knee score improved from 34 to 96 in the conventional TKA group, whereas the CAS-TKA group experienced a mean pain score improvement from 15 to 48, mean clinical knee score improvement from 38 to 97 and a mean IKS functional knee score improvement from 32 to 96.