A literature review of robotic systems showed that these systems can , similarly to computer navigation , reliably improve lower leg alignment , component positioning and soft tissues balancing .
Findings in this study suggest that computer navigation or robotic assistance may help managing these multiple variables and could improve outcomes .
Recently , there is a growing interest in surgical variables that are intraoperatively controlled by orthopaedic surgeons , including lower leg alignment , component positioning and soft tissues balancing .
Since more tight control over these factors is associated with improved outcomes of unicompartmental knee arthroplasty and total knee arthroplasty ( TKA ) , several computer navigation and robotic-assisted systems have been developed .
Although mechanical axis accuracy and component positioning have been shown to improve with computer navigation , no superiority in functional outcomes has yet been shown .
This could be explained by the fact that many differences exist between the number and type of surgical variables these systems control .
Most systems control lower leg alignment and component positioning , while some in addition control soft tissue balancing .
Finally , robotic-assisted systems have the additional advantage of improving surgical precision .
Manually controlling all these surgical variables can be difficult for the orthopaedic surgeon .
On the outcome of computer-assisted total knee replacement.
A number of studies have reported a significant improvement of the postoperative alignment , when computer-navigated total knee arthroplasty ( TKA )  was compared with conventional techniques . However , no studies are available on the functional and patient-relevant outcomes after computer-assisted knee replacement . In a prospect i ve , r and omized trial comparing 27 computer-assisted TKAs with 25 conventional implantations  , the Knee Society Score was used to assess functional status , and the WOMAC question naire was used to record the disease-specific , patient-relevant outcome . At a twelve-month follow-up no significant difference was detected between the two patient groups in either the scores or the number of complications and range of postoperative knee flexion . The results are in agreement with those reported in other studies on the effect of conventional TKA . With the patient group of this size it can be concluded that computer-navigated TKA gives short-term resuits comparable with those achieved by conventional methods of implantation
A literature review of robotic systems showed that these systems can , similarly to computer navigation , reliably improve lower leg alignment , component positioning and soft tissues balancing .
Findings in this study suggest that computer navigation or robotic assistance may help managing these multiple variables and could improve outcomes .
Recently , there is a growing interest in surgical variables that are intraoperatively controlled by orthopaedic surgeons , including lower leg alignment , component positioning and soft tissues balancing .
Since more tight control over these factors is associated with improved outcomes of unicompartmental knee arthroplasty and total knee arthroplasty ( TKA ) , several computer navigation and robotic-assisted systems have been developed .
Although mechanical axis accuracy and component positioning have been shown to improve with computer navigation , no superiority in functional outcomes has yet been shown .
This could be explained by the fact that many differences exist between the number and type of surgical variables these systems control .
Most systems control lower leg alignment and component positioning , while some in addition control soft tissue balancing .
Finally , robotic-assisted systems have the additional advantage of improving surgical precision .
Manually controlling all these surgical variables can be difficult for the orthopaedic surgeon .