The Journal of Bone and Joint Surgery (American). 2009;91:14-19.
doi:10.2106/JBJS.G.01700
© 2009 The Journal of Bone and Joint Surgery, Inc.
Computer-Assisted Surgical Navigation Does Not Improve the Alignment and Orientation of the Components in Total Knee Arthroplasty
Young-Hoo Kim, MD1,
Jun-Shik Kim, MD1,
Yoowang Choi, MD1 and
Oh-Ryong Kwon, MD1
1 The Joint Replacement Center of Korea at Ewha Womans University, Mok Dong Hospital, 911-1, MokDong, YangCheon-Ku, Seoul 158-710, South Korea. E-mail address for Y.-H. Kim: younghookim{at}ewha.ac.kr
Investigation performed at The Joint Replacement Center of Korea, Ewha Womans University School of Medicine, Seoul, South Korea
Disclosure: The authors did not receive any outside funding or grants in support of their research for or preparation of this work. Neither they nor a member of their immediate families received payments or other benefits or a commitment or agreement to provide such benefits from a commercial entity. No commercial entity paid or directed, or agreed to pay or direct, any benefits to any research fund, foundation, division, center, clinical practice, or other charitable or nonprofit organization with which the authors, or a member of their immediate families, are affiliated or associated.
A commentary is available with the electronic versions of this article, on our web site (www.jbjs.org) and on our quarterly CD-ROM/DVD (call our subscription department, at 781-449-9780, to order the CD-ROM or DVD).
Background: Whether total knee arthroplasty with use of computer-assisted surgical navigation can improve the limb and component alignment is a matter of debate. We hypothesized that total knee arthroplasty with use of computer-assisted surgical navigation is superior to conventional total knee arthroplasty with regard to the precision of implant positioning.
Methods: Sequential simultaneous bilateral total knee arthroplasties were carried out in 160 patients (320 knees). One knee was replaced with use of a computer-assisted surgical navigation system, and the other was replaced conventionally without use of computer-assisted surgical navigation. The two methods were compared for accuracy of orientation and alignment of the components as determined by radiographs and computed tomography scans. The mean duration of follow-up was 3.4 years.
Results: The mean preoperative Knee Society score was 26 points, with an improvement to 92 points postoperatively, in the computer-assisted total knee arthroplasty group and 25 points, with an improvement to 93 points postoperatively, in the conventional total knee arthroplasty group. Preoperative and postoperative ranges of motion of the knees were similar in both groups. The operating and tourniquet times were significantly longer in the computer-assisted total knee arthroplasty group than in the conventional total knee arthroplasty group (p < 0.001). The groups were not significantly different with regard to the accuracy of component positioning and the number of outliers for the various radiographic parameters (p > 0.05).
Conclusions: Our data demonstrate that total knee arthroplasty with use of computer-assisted surgical navigation did not result in more accurate implant positioning than that achieved in conventional total knee arthroplasty, as determined by both radiographs and computed tomography scans.
Level of Evidence: Therapeutic Level II. See Instructions to Authors for a complete description of levels of evidence.

CiteULike Connotea Del.icio.us Facebook Technorati Twitter What's this?
Letters to the Editor:
Read all Letters to the Editor
- Computer Assisted Surgical Navigation for Total Knee Arthroplasty
- Georg Matziolis, et al.
- JBJS Online, 18 Mar 2009
[Full text]
- Dr. Kim and colleagues respond to Dr. Matziolis and Mr. Perka
- Young-Hoo Kim, MD, et al.
- JBJS Online, 1 Apr 2009
[Full text]
- Computer-Assisted Surgical Navigation Does Not Improve the Alignment and Orientation of the...
- Andrea Ferretti, MD, et al.
- JBJS Online, 29 Apr 2009
[Full text]
- Dr. Kim and colleagues respond to Drs. Ferretti and Conteduca
- Young-Hoo Kim, MD, et al.
- JBJS Online, 29 Apr 2009
[Full text]
|