A prospective double-blinded randomized controlled trial comparing conventional jig-based versus robotic arm-assisted medial unicompartmental knee arthroplasty.

TL;DR

Robotic arm-assisted unicompartmental knee arthroplasty (RO UKA) achieved greater accuracy in component positioning and better early postoperative outcomes compared to conventional jig-based approaches, with sustained differences in patient-reported joint awareness at two-year follow-up.

Key findings

• RO UKA demonstrated superior accuracy in executing planned femoral and tibial component positions compared to CO UKA
• RO UKA was associated with reduced inpatient pain, lower opioid consumption, and shorter hospital stays despite similar long-term functional scores
• Robotic assistance improved Forgotten Joint Score (subjective joint awareness) at 6 months and 2 years but did not improve traditional outcome measures like Oxford Knee Score, KOOS, or WOMAC

Why this matters at the bedside

For patients undergoing medial unicompartmental knee arthroplasty, robotic-assisted surgery offers improved component positioning precision and faster early recovery, though clinical equipoise is eroding as patient preference and surgeon confidence shift toward robotic methods. Long-term functional equivalence suggests benefits are primarily perioperative and proprioceptive rather than affecting overall joint function.