Robot assisted hip and knee arthroplasty: It is high tech, but is it better?

AI Summary

Robot-assisted hip and knee replacements are set to expand sharply in the UK, with NHS plans rising from about 70,000 procedures annually to 500,000 by 2035. NICE says the technology may improve implant positioning, but evidence that this leads to better clinical outcomes remains uncertain.

“It is always too early to evaluate a new technology until, unfortunately, suddenly it’s too late”Buxton’s law1Robot assisted surgeries in the UK are planned to increase from about 70 000 annually to 500 000 by 2035, according to the NHS—a sevenfold expansion over the coming decade,2 with similar ambitions emerging elsewhere. Yet the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence concludes that although robot assisted surgery can improve the precision of implant positioning in hip and knee arthroplasty, it remains uncertain whether this translates into better clinical outcomes and calls for further evidence generation.3 Plans for rapid expansion are therefore taking shape just as evidence about the clinical value of robot assisted arthroplasty is beginning to emerge.The promise of robot assisted arthroplasty is straightforward: greater precision in bone preparation and implant positioning should mean fewer technical errors—and ultimately better outcomes for patients. This promise is particularly attractive in knee arthroplasty,...