Robotic-assisted Total Knee Arthroplasty vs. Conventional One

Osteoarthritis causes the joints to become painful and stiff. Osteoarthritis of the knee is a common condition that is expected to be a lot more frequent in the next two decades. As a consequence, an increase of total knee replacement surgery is predicted. Total knee replacement surgery is offered when knee pain and stiffness caused by osteoarthritis can no longer be managed and these symptoms significantly impact on an individual's normal activities of daily living. Most total knee replacements are successful but up to 34% of all patients have poor functional outcomes following surgery. This leaves affected people at a greater risk of reduced physical activity and thus impacts longer-term general health. Poor outcomes are therefore of importance to patients and have a considerable financial and service-provision impact on National Health Service (NHS) care. While patient-related characteristics and their relationship to patient outcomes have been identified, few studies have been undertaken to determine how kinematic outcomes (how the prosthetic knee moves) are related to functional outcome and patient satisfaction. The kinematic outcome of a total knee replacement is hypothesised to relate to both the structural design (shape) of the implant and the surgical procedure itself. In recent years, there has been development of high technology tools to help surgeon restoring proper joint biomechanics. Nowadays on the market there are several robots designed to fulfill this function. To date, no studies have investigated the kinematic outcomes of robotic-assisted total knee arthroplasty in comparison to conventional surgery. Whilst it is known that long term success of total knee replacement depends largely upon correct alignment of the prosthesis components during surgery, no studies have looked at the anatomical alignments of the osteoarthritic knee prior to undergoing surgery (using Computerised Tomography (CT) scanning). The aim of the study is to examine relationships between movement analysis (kinematic and functional outcomes), patient reported outcome measures (PROMS) with use of the combination of either Oxford score or KOOS score with addition of WOMAC and Lysholm scores and CT measurement, both pre- and post-operatively, between robotic-assisted total knee arthroplasty and conventional surgery.

Inclusion criteria

• Listed for a primary total knee replacement (TKR)
• Indication for the TKR is primary osteoarthritis of the knee joint involving one or more compartments
• Aged 18 or over
• Patient willing to provide full informed consent to the trial

Exclusion criteria

• Listed for a single-stage one-sided TKR procedure
• Severe symptoms in the contralateral knee so as to require staged bilateral knee replacements within 6 months of the primary procedure
• Fixed flexion deformity of 15 degrees or greater who will require excessive resection of the distal femur
• Clinically assessed uncorrectable varus/valgus deformity of 15 degrees or greater
• Any co-morbidity which, in the opinion of the investigator, is severe enough to present an unacceptable risk to the patient's safety
• Inflammatory arthritis
• Previous septic arthritis in the affected knee joint
• Previous surgery to the collateral ligaments of the affected knee
• A contralateral total knee replacement that has been implanted less than one year from the date of consultation
• A contralateral total knee replacement that is severely painful
• Patients on warfarin or novel oral anticoagulants (NOACs)
• Will not be resident in the catchment area for at least 6 months post-surgery
• Undertaking the surgery as a private patient
• Patients who, in the opinion of the clinical staff, do not have capacity to consent
• Patients who are pregnant
• Unable to understand written and spoken Polish