Robot-assisted vs. conventional unicompartmental knee arthroplasty

Numerous advances have been made in prosthesis design, instrumentation and postoperative rehabilitation for unicompartmental knee arthroplasty; however, only 70–86% of patients are satisfied with the functional outcome and revision rates range between 10% and 20%. The primary outcome for this meta-analysis was implantation accuracy of component positioning and tibiofemoral component safe zone. A total of three randomized controlled trials (RCT), three quasi-RCTs and one prospective trial were included in this review. It was found that the use of robotic-assisted systems reduces implantation errors without an increase in adverse events. There are only a few reports about clinical outcome and long-term follow-up and whether the more accurate component positioning results in a better clinical effect or a better long-term survival of the implants is unknown.