Patients who underwent robotic-assisted surgery used less opioid pain medicine and were discharged earlier compared to individuals who underwent manual surgery, according to a study in the Journal of Robotic Surgery.
The study analyzed 452 total knee arthroplasty procedures performed at a critical access hospital in the U.S. Of the surgeries studied, 215 patients received surgery with Johnson & Johnson’s Velys robotic-assisted knee system and 237 received manual knee surgery from a single surgeon.
Individuals who elected to have robotic-assisted surgery used about 50% less opioid pain medicine and were discharged nearly 10 hours earlier. Manual knee replacement surgeries were associated with 2.3 higher times morphine milligram equivalent consumption and 1.8 times longer length of stay compared to Velys robotic-assisted surgeries.
Robotic-assisted total knee arthroplasty procedures can improve surgical planning, leading to more accurate component positioning, less soft tissue manipulation and fewer soft tissue releases.
