Biomechanical considerations for an easily-restricted robot-assisted kinematic alignment: a surgical technique note

Arthroplasty. 2023 Jun 5;5(1):29. doi: 10.1186/s42836-023-00191-6.

Abstract

Background: In total knee arthroplasty, the normal kinematics of the knee may not be restored solely based on preoperative gait, fluoroscopic-based, and dynamic radiostereometric analyses.

Surgical technique case presentation: This note introduced a 69-year-old male patient who sustained post-traumatic osteoarthritis of his right knee. He underwent robot-assisted total knee arthroplasty based on anatomical reproduction of knee stability during the swing phase of gait. The kinematic alignment was simply achieved within an easy-to-identified range after preoperative radiographic assessment, intraoperative landmarking and pre-validated osteotomy, and intraoperative range of motion testing.

Conclusions: This novel technique allows personalized and imageless total knee arthroplasty. It provides a preliminary path in reproducing the anatomy alignment, natural collateral ligament laxity, and accurate component placement within safe-to-identified alignment boundaries.

Keywords: Alignment; Kinematic alignment (KA); Knee; Restricted kinematic alignment (rKA); Robotics; Total knee arthroplasty (TKA).