Inflammatory Response in Robotic-Arm-Assisted Versus Conventional Jig-Based TKA and the Correlation with Early Functional Outcomes

Abstract

Background:Although the exact etiology of patient dissatisfaction in total knee arthroplasty (TKA) is unclear, the inflammatory response precipitated by surgery may be implicated. Robotic TKA has been shown to result in reduced bone and soft-tissue trauma. The objectives of this study were to compare the inflammatory response in conventional jig-based TKA versus robotic-arm-assisted TKA and to examine the relationship with early functional outcomes.Methods:This prospective randomized controlled trial included 15 patients with symptomatic knee osteoarthritis undergoing conventional TKA and 15 undergoing robotic-arm-assisted TKA. Blood samples were collected for up to 28 days postoperatively, and predefined markers of systemic inflammation were measured in serum. The local inflammatory response was assessed by analyzing samples from the intra-articular drain fluid at 6 and 24 hours. Relationships with early functional outcomes were evaluated using the Spearman rank correlation coefficient.Results:Patients in the robotic TKA group demonstrated lower levels of interleukin (IL)-6 in the drain fluid at 6 hours (798.54 pg/mL versus 5,699.2 pg/mL, p = 0.026) and 24 hours and IL-8 at 6 hours. Robotic TKA was associated with lower pain scores on postoperative days 1, 2, and 7. Patient-reported outcome measures were comparable between the 2 groups at 2 years. Significant correlations were observed between all serum markers except IL-1b and self-reported pain on postoperative day 7; between drain IL-8 levels and pain on postoperative days 1 (r = 0.458), 2, and 7; and between drain IL-6, IL-8, and tumor necrosis factor-alpha levels at 6 hours and knee flexion or extension.Conclusions:Robotic-arm-assisted TKA was associated with a reduction in the early postoperative local inflammatory response. We also found a moderate relationship between the inflammatory responses and self-reported pain, knee flexion, and knee extension. Further validation of these findings on a larger scale and using longer-term outcomes will be key to developing the optimal TKA procedure.Level of Evidence:Therapeutic Level I. See Instructions for Authors for a complete description of levels of evidence.

Robotic Arm-assisted versus Manual (ROAM) total knee arthroplasty: a randomized controlled trial

“…The same group reported the patient-reported outcomes at two-year follow-up, finding significantly reduced early postoperative pain, but no clinical or significant difference in the PROMs. 41…”

Robot-assisted total hip arthroplasty is not associated with serious invasiveness

“…In this paper, surgical invasiveness was measured using in ammatory and muscle degradation markers, which could represent an objective method of determining the invasiveness of a surgical procedure [13][14][15] .…”

Comparison of Postoperative Pain and Function in Robotic Total Knee Arthroplasty and Conventional Total Knee Arthroplasty Amongst Patients at King Fahad Medical City in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia

“…One study reported that robotic TKA was longer and more expensive, with no difference in the rate of complications or length of hospital stay [ 19 ]. Another study that compared inflammatory markers between robotic and conventional TKA showed lower interleukin-6 (IL-6) in robotic TKA that can be explained by minimized soft tissue insult, yet it showed no difference in functional levels between the groups [ 20 ]. Furthermore, a study that observed the two groups in the long term (at least 10 years) showed no difference in functional outcomes or overall survivorship, and the robotic TKA group had a longer operative time [ 21 ].…”