Robots on the Stage: A Snapshot of the American Robotic Total Knee Arthroplasty Market

Avinash Inabathula, MD
Dimitar I. Semerdzhiev, MS
Anand Srinivasan, MD
Farid Amirouche, PhD
Lalit Puri, MD
Hristo Piponov, MD

Abstract

» Computer-assisted robots aid orthopaedic surgeons in implant positioning and bony resection. Surgeons selecting a robot for their practice are faced with numerous options. This study aims to make the choice less daunting by reviewing the most commonly used Food and Drug Administration-approved robotic total knee arthroplasty platforms in the American arthroplasty market.

» Modern total knee arthroplasty (TKA) robots use computer guidance to create a virtual knee model that serves as the surgeon’s canvas for resection planning.

» Most available robotic TKA (rTKA) systems are closed semiactive systems that restrict implant use to those of the manufacturer.

» Each system has distinct imaging requirements, safety features, resection methods, and operating room footprints that will affect a surgeon’s technique and practice.

» Robots carry different purchase, maintenance, and equipment costs that will influence patient access across different socioeconomic groups.

» Some studies show improved early patient-reported outcomes with rTKA, but long-term studies have yet to show clinical superiority over manual TKA.