The majority of adverse events associated with CNTKA were minor and comparable with those seen with conventional TKA .
Clinical outcomes were comparable between the two techniques , with longer-term follow-up suggesting that CNTKA provided no benefit over conventional TKA in terms of sustained functional improvements .
At present , it is unclear whether the significant improvements shown in radiological outcomes after CNTKA translate to measurable clinical benefits .
BACKGROUND Conventional total knee arthroplasty ( TKA ) and the more recently available computer-navigated total knee arthroplasty ( CNTKA ) use alternative methods to achieve correct limb alignment .
This systematic review was undertaken to assess the safety and effectiveness of CNTKA compared with conventional TKA .
Computer navigation versus conventional total knee replacement: no difference in functional results at two years.
We previously compared the component alignment in  total knee replacement  using a computer-navigated technique with a conventional jig-based method . We r and omly allocated 71 patients to undergo either computer-navigated or conventional replacement .  An improved alignment was seen in the computer-navigated group . The patients were then followed up post-operatively for two years , using the Knee Society score , the Short Form-36 health survey , the Western Ontario and McMaster Universities osteoarthritis index , the Bartlett Patellar pain question naire and the Oxford knee score , to assess functional outcome . At two years post-operatively 60 patients were available for assessment , 30 in each group and 62 patients completed a postal survey . No patient in either group had undergone revision . All variables were analysed for differences between the groups either by Student 's t-test or the Mann-Whitney U test . Differences between the two groups did not reach significance for any of the outcome measures at any time point . At two years postoperatively , the frequency of mild to severe anterior pain was not significantly different ( p = 0.818 ) , varying between 44 % ( 14 ) for the computer-navigated group , and 47 % ( 14 ) for the conventionally-replaced group . The Bartlett Patellar score and the Oxford knee score were also not significantly different ( t-test p = 0.161 and p = 0.607 , respectively ) . The clinical outcome of the patients with a computer-navigated knee replacement appears to be no different to that of a more conventional jig-based technique at two years post-operatively , despite the better alignment achieved with computer-navigated surgery
The majority of adverse events associated with CNTKA were minor and comparable with those seen with conventional TKA .
Clinical outcomes were comparable between the two techniques , with longer-term follow-up suggesting that CNTKA provided no benefit over conventional TKA in terms of sustained functional improvements .
At present , it is unclear whether the significant improvements shown in radiological outcomes after CNTKA translate to measurable clinical benefits .
BACKGROUND Conventional total knee arthroplasty ( TKA ) and the more recently available computer-navigated total knee arthroplasty ( CNTKA ) use alternative methods to achieve correct limb alignment .
This systematic review was undertaken to assess the safety and effectiveness of CNTKA compared with conventional TKA .