Imageless robotic-assisted total knee arthroplasty leads to similar 24-month WOMAC scores as compared to conventional total knee arthroplasty: a retrospective cohort study

Purpose Robotic-assisted total knee arthroplasty (RA-TKA) was introduced to improve limb alignment, component positioning, soft-tissue balance and to minimize surgical outliers. This study investigates perioperative outcomes, complications, and early patient-reported outcome measures (PROMs) of one imageless RA-TKA system compared to conventional method TKA (CM-TKA) at 24-month follow-up. Methods This multi-surgeon retrospective cohort analysis compared 111 imageless RA-TKA patients to 110 CM-TKA patients (n = 221). Basic demographic information, intraoperative and postoperative data, and PROMs, including the functional score of the Knee Society Score (KSS-FS), The Western Ontario and McMaster Universities Osteoarthritis Index (WOMAC), and the Short Form 12 Mental and Physical scores (SF-12M and P), were collected and recorded preoperatively, at 3-, 12- and 24-months postoperatively. Range of motion (ROM), estimated blood loss (EBL), surgical duration, and complications were also collected. Results There were no baseline patient demographic differences between groups. EBL (240 vs. 190 mL, p < 0.001) and surgical duration (123 vs. 107 min, p < 0.001) were significantly greater in RA-TKA. There were no significant differences in postoperative complications, ROM, length of stay (LOS), and PROMs between cohorts at 3-, 12-, 24-months postoperatively. Conclusions Imageless RA-TKA is associated with greater EBL and surgical duration compared to CM-TKA. However, at 24-month follow-up, there were no significant differences in ROM, LOS, complications and PROMs between cohorts. Imageless robotic surgery leads to similar 24-month clinical outcomes as compared to CM-TKA.