For sufferers present process complete hip arthroplasty (THA), the usage of robotic-assisted surgical procedure and surgical navigation methods is just not related to an elevated danger of periprosthetic joint an infection (PJI), suggests a examine in The Journal of Bone & Joint Surgery. The journal is printed within the Lippincott portfolio by Wolters Kluwer. 

Computer navigation (CN) and robotic help (RA) don’t alter the chance of PJI after complete hip alternative surgical procedure, in accordance with the brand new analysis by Alberto V. Carli, MD, and colleagues of Hospital for Special Surgery, New York. 

Could CN and RA enhance dangers throughout hip alternative? 

Computer navigation and robotic help are more and more used throughout THA. These applied sciences have proven useful results, together with extra correct part positioning and a decrease danger of postoperative instability. However, “[I]t remains unknown as to whether use of [CN and RA] leads to an improvement in long-term functional outcomes or implant longevity,” in accordance with the authors. 

The use of CN and RA requires the presence of further tools and personnel within the working room, and has been linked to longer working instances. Together, these components would possibly result in an elevated danger of surgical-site contamination and PJI, a serious reason behind implant failure after THA. 

Dr. Carli and colleagues analyzed their hospital’s expertise of almost 13,000 sufferers present process major THA between 2018 and 2021. During this time, CN was used throughout THA in 21% of sufferers and RA in 16%. The remaining 63% of sufferers underwent standard THA with out CN or RA. 

Similarly low charges of PJI, with or with out new applied sciences 

Using a method known as propensity-score matching, the researchers recognized teams of sufferers with related danger components present process THA by standard strategies or with the usage of RA (2,003 sufferers in every group) or CN (2,664 sufferers in every group). Ninety-day charges of PJI have been in contrast between teams, with adjustment for different components. 

Both applied sciences have been related to small will increase in operative instances, in comparison with standard THA: two minutes longer with CN and 11 minutes longer with RA. Previous research have raised issues that longer surgical instances would possibly result in elevated danger of issues. 

However, within the new examine, the incidence of PJI was related amongst teams: 0.4% for each CN and RA in contrast with charges of 0.2% and 0.4% for the respective propensity-matched standard THA cohorts. In adjusted analyses, there have been no important variations in PJI danger. 

“Although computer navigation and robotic assistance are currently used in a minority of THA procedures, the increase in the use of such technology appears to be inevitable in the coming decades,” the researchers write. Their examine provides new proof that, in matched teams of sufferers with related traits, the dangers of PJI are comparable, with or with out the usage of CN or RA. 

The authors level out some limitations of the examine – notably together with the general low price of PJI at their specialised, high-volume orthopedic surgical procedure middle. Dr. Carli and coauthors conclude: “While the long-term clinical, functional, and implant-longevity outcomes associated with the use of computer navigation or robotic assistance remain to be elucidated, the findings of the present study are reassuring with respect to the risk of infection.”