Functional outcome after computer-assisted versus conventional total knee arthroplasty: a randomized controlled study

Despite the frequent use of computer-assisted total knee arthroplasty (TKA) and better radiological results for coronal alignment reported in many studies, there is still no evidence of improved clinical outcomes when compared to conventional TKA. We compared alignment after navigated TKA and conventional TKA in 80 randomized patients. Seventy three patients were available for physical and radiological examination at 20 month after surgery. Both groups showed similar Knee Society Score results, with medians of 89 points (navigated 49–95 points, conventional 48–95 points, n.s.) in the Knee Score and 70 points (navigated 45–100 points, conventional 40–100 points, n.s.) in the Function Score. The median improvement in the Knee Society Knee Score was 45 points (−3 to 88 points) in the navigated group and 35 points (−13 to 62 points) in the conventional group (P = 0.03), and the Knee Society Function Score improvement was 15 points (−10 to 50 points) in the navigated group versus 10 points (−10 to 50 points) in the conventional group (n.s.). The current health state at follow-up using the EuroQuol questionnaire was similar in both groups, with medians of 67 points in the navigated group and 65 points in the conventional group. This investigation did show slightly greater functional improvement at short-term follow-up in the navigated TKA group. Longer follow-up will be required to assess the possible benefit of computer-assisted navigation.