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. 2020 Feb;14(1):55-60.
doi: 10.1007/s11701-018-00907-w. Epub 2019 Feb 14.

A novel handheld robotic-assisted system for unicompartmental knee arthroplasty: surgical technique and early survivorship

Andrew K Battenberg  1 , Nathan A Netravali  2 , Jess H Lonner  1
Affiliations

A novel handheld robotic-assisted system for unicompartmental knee arthroplasty: surgical technique and early survivorship

Andrew K Battenberg et al. J Robot Surg. 2020 Feb.

Abstract

Technology, including robotics, has been developed for use in unicompartmental knee arthroplasty (UKA) to improve accuracy and precision of bone preparation, implant positioning, and soft tissue balance. The NAVIO™ System (Smith and Nephew, Pittsburgh, PA, United States) is a handheld robotic system that assists surgeons in planning implant positioning based on an individual patient's anatomy and then preparing the bone surface to accurately achieve the plan. The surgical technique is presented herein. In addition, initial results are presented for 128 patients (mean age 64.7 years; 57.8% male) undergoing UKA with NAVIO. After a mean of follow-up period of 2.3 years, overall survivorship of the knee implant was 99.2% (95% confidence interval 94.6-99.9%). There was one revision encountered during the study, which was due to persistent soft tissue pain, without evidence of loosening, subsidence, malposition or infection. These initial results suggest a greater survivorship than achieved in the same follow-up time intervals in national registries and cohort studies, though further follow-up is needed to confirm whether this difference is maintained at longer durations.

Keywords: NAVIO; Robotic-assisted surgery; Surgical technique; Survivorship; Unicompartmental knee arthroplasty.

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Conflict of interest statement

Andrew K. Battenberg has nothing to disclose. Nathan A. Netravali is a paid employee of Smith and Nephew, which funded this study. Jess H. Lonner is a consultant for Smith and Nephew, Zimmer Biomet, Force Therapeutics and Muvr Labs Inc.: receives royalties from Smith and Nephew and Zimmer Biomet; and is a shareholder of Force Therapeutics and Muvr Labs Inc.

Figures

Fig. 1
Fig. 1
The NAVIO surgical system and handpiece
Fig. 2
Fig. 2
Surface model creation of the femur during registration
Fig. 3
Fig. 3
Planning screen to show predicted gaps throughout a range of flexion
Fig. 4
Fig. 4
Screen guidance during bone preparation showing the remaining bone to be removed
Fig. 5
Fig. 5
Post-operative gap assessment under stress throughout a range of flexion
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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