Robotic-assisted total joint arthroplasty volumes rose 601.2% from 2015 to 2020, and research to be presented at the 2026 American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons’ annual meeting in New Orleans links the technology to higher satisfaction and no added infection risk.
In one study, patients who underwent robotic-assisted total knee arthroplasty reported greater improvements in quality of life and were 3.2 times more likely to be satisfied one year after surgery than those who had conventional procedures. Among patients under 75 years old, satisfaction was 93.5% in the robotic group versus 84.6% in the conventional group, according to a March 2 news release.
A second study of 31,795 total hip arthroplasties found no significant differences in superficial or periprosthetic joint infection rates between conventional and robotic or navigated techniques. Robotic-assisted cases had a 4.4-minute longer operative time but no increased infection risk after adjusting for clinical factors.
Both studies were conducted at high-volume centers, and support the safety and clinical value of robotic and navigated approaches in joint replacement.
