A comparison of blood loss in minimally invasive surgery with and without electromagnetic computer navigation in total knee arthroplasty

Abstract

Objective: To compare the blood loss after minimally invasive surgery total knee arthroplasty (MIS-TKA) between the procedures performed with and without electromagnetic computer navigation.

Material and method: Eighty patients were recruited for a cohort study of the minimally invasive surgery total knee arthroplasty (MIS-TKA) for the treatment of osteoarthritis. They were divided into two groups, 40 patients had a computer-assisted surgery procedure for the minimally invasive surgery total knee arthroplasty (CAS-MIS-TKA) and the other 40 patients had a conventional procedure for the minimally invasive surgery total knee arthroplasty (MIS-TKA). The surgery in both groups was carried out by a single surgeon at one institution using a uniform approach. The blood loss in each group was evaluated and analyzed for the statistical difference.

Results: The result showed that the mean blood loss from the drainage of the CAS-MIS-TKA group (389.88 +/- 215.57 milliliters) was slightly lower than the MIS-TKA group (425.25 +/- 269.40 milliliters), which had no significant difference (p-value 0.519). Moreover, the whole blood loss in the CAS-MIS-TKA group (948.45 +/- 431.63 milliliters) was slightly lower than the MIS-TKA group (1075.32 +/- 419.02 milliliters). The difference was also not statistically significant.

Conclusion: Electromagnetic computer-assisted surgery did not reduce blood loss in the minimally invasive surgery total knee arthroplasty (MIS-TKA).