Comparison between robotic-assisted and navigation-assisted total knee arthroplasty shows comparable outcomes: A systematic review and meta-analysis.

Purpose: Computer-assisted technology offers better component alignment and surgical precision than conventional TKA. However, whether robotic-assisted total knee arthroplasty (RA-TKA) shows clear benefits over navigation-assisted total knee arthroplasty (NA-TKA) is still contentious. Therefore, we aimed to perform a meta-analysis exploring the accuracy and safety of RA-TKA compared to NA-TKA in patients with knee osteoarthritis.

Methods: We systematically searched PubMed, Scopus, Web of Science, and Cochrane Library for studies comparing RA-TKA with NA-TKA. We assessed radiological alignment outliers, polyethylene (PE) insert thickness, surgical time, and safety outcomes. Statistical analyses were performed using RevMan Web. Odds ratios (ORs) and mean differences (MDs) with 95 % confidence intervals (CIs) were pooled for dichotomous and continuous endpoints, respectively. A random-effects model was used due to anticipated heterogeneity and measured with the I test.

Results: We included 19,209 patients from sixteen studies, of whom 3764 (19.6 %) were assigned to the RA-TKA. We found no statistically significant difference between RA-TKA and NA-TKA in terms of hip-knee-ankle angle outliers (OR 0.91; 95 % CI 0.56 to 1.48; p = 0.71; I = 25 %), femoral coronal angle outliers (OR 0.46; 95 % CI 0.16 to 1.38; p = 0.17; I = 60 %), tibial coronal angle outliers (OR 0.51; 95 % CI 0.13 to 2.08; p = 0.09; I = 58 %), periprosthetic joint infection (OR 0.76; 95 % CI 0.27 to 2.15; p = 0.61; I = 0 %), and length of stay MD -0.17 days; 95 % CI -1.08 to 0.74; p = 0.72; I = 98 %). RA-TKA used 1.03 mm thinner PE inserts compared with NA-TKA (MD -1.03 mm; 95 % CI -1.60 to -0.46; p = 0.71; I = 98 %), whereas surgical time was 9.87 min shorter with NA-TKA (MD 9.87 min; 95 % CI 0.62 to 19.11; p = 0.04; I = 99 %).

Conclusions: RA-TKA and NA-TKA had comparable radiological alignment. While RA-TKA allows for thinner polyethylene inserts, it requires longer surgical time than NA-TKA. These findings suggest that both techniques are adequate, with specific differences that may influence surgical decision-making.