Short-term outcomes of robotically assisted patello-femoral arthroplasty.
The purpose of this study was to determine the outcomes in patients treated with robotically assisted patello-femoral arthroplasty (PFA).



This technique offers a safe, reliable, and reproducible way of obtaining correct implant positioning in patello-femoral arthroplasty, and as a result, reduces revision surgery due to implant malalignment. We evaluated 30 knees in 29 patients who underwent robotically assisted patello-femoral arthroplasty between June 2009 and May 2011. Mean follow-up was 15.9 months. This was a retrospective study that involved chart reviews and radiographic analysis. Radiographic analysis included pre-operative and postoperative plain films for implant positioning. Functional outcomes were evaluated using the Oxford Knee Score (OKS), range of motion, University of California at Los Angeles (UCLA) patient activity-level ratings, visual analog pain scale (VAS), and the Knee Society Score (KSS).



The patients had an average OKS of 21.7 pre-operatively and reached an average of 33.5 postoperatively (p = 0.0033). Pre-operative UCLA patient activity-level ratings was 3.1, compared with 4.8 postoperatively. Average VAS pre-operatively was 8 and postoperatively it decreased to 2.1 (p = 0.0033). The average KSS final score pre-operatively was 56 and postoperatively it increased to 68.3 while the functional score pre-operatively was 47.2 compared to 68.1 postoperatively (p = 0.011). As a result, patello-femoral arthroplasty is an emerging knee resurfacing technique that is an alternative to the total knee arthroplasty.



The early retrospective data for robotically-assisted PFA show encouraging results. Advantages of this technique include a smaller incision, faster rehabilitation, preservation of bone stock, and implantation without malalignment.
Department of Orthopaedics and Traumatology, Turgut Ozal University School of Medicine, Ankara, Turkey. uturktas@yahoo.com.
Ugur
U
Turktas
Department of Orthopaedics and Traumatology, Ondokuzmayis University School of Medicine, Samsun, Turkey.
Ahmet
A
Piskin
Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Wake Forest University School of Medicine, Winston-Salem, NC, USA.
Gary G
GG
Poehling
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D019645:Arthroplasty, Replacement, Knee / Q000379:methods*; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D007719:Knee Joint / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000601:surgery*; D007720:Knee Prosthesis; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D020370:Osteoarthritis, Knee / Q000601:surgery*; D010147:Pain Measurement; D016059:Range of Motion, Articular; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D065287:Robotic Surgical Procedures / Q000379:methods*; D016896:Treatment Outcome
Arthroplasty; Osteoarthritis; Patello-femoral; Robot assisted; Robotically controlled