Evidence map›Paper›PMID 41329432›Full record

ArticleJournal of orthopaedics and traumatology : official journal of the Italian Society of Orthopaedics and Traumatology2025

Short-term outcomes of robotic versus conventional unicompartmental knee arthroplasty: evidence from a national database.

Cheng-Min Shih, Kun-Hui Chen, Fuu-Cheng Jiang, Cheng-En Hsu, Cheng-Chi Wang, Shun-Ping Wang

Abstract readComparative Study
In one paragraph

Article in Journal of orthopaedics and traumatology : official journal of the Italian Society of Orthopaedics and Traumatology, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 4 papers, 1 of them a synthesis that pooled it.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
4citing papers in PubMed, 1 pooled it
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

4 citing papers in PubMed, 1 synthesis or guideline pooled it.

  1. Pooled it
  2. Review
  3. Article
  4. Review
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

6 authors.

Cheng-Min ShihDepartment of Orthopedics, Taichung Veterans General Hospital, No. 1650, Section 4, Taiwan Boulevard, Taichung, Taiwan.
Kun-Hui ChenDepartment of Orthopedics, Taichung Veterans General Hospital, No. 1650, Section 4, Taiwan Boulevard, Taichung, Taiwan.
Fuu-Cheng JiangDepartment of Computer Science, Tunghai University, No. 1727, Section 4, Taiwan Boulevard, Taichung, Taiwan.
Cheng-En HsuDepartment of Orthopedics, Taichung Veterans General Hospital, No. 1650, Section 4, Taiwan Boulevard, Taichung, Taiwan.
Cheng-Chi WangDepartment of Orthopedics, Taichung Veterans General Hospital, No. 1650, Section 4, Taiwan Boulevard, Taichung, Taiwan.
Shun-Ping WangDepartment of Orthopedics, Taichung Veterans General Hospital, No. 1650, Section 4, Taiwan Boulevard, Taichung, Taiwan. wsp0120@yahoo.com.tw.

Funding

Taichung Veterans General Hospital TCVGH-1141703B
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundRobotic-assisted unicompartmental knee arthroplasty (UKA) has gained popularity for its potential to improve implant precision and reduce surgical errors. However, comparative evidence on short-term outcomes versus conventional UKA is lacking. Thus, the purpose of this study was to compare the short-term outcomes of robotic-assisted versus conventional UKA using a nationally representative database.

methodsThe Nationwide Readmissions Database 2016-2020 was retrospectively examined to identify adult patients who received an elective UKA. After applying exclusion criteria and 1:2 propensity score matching (PSM), 8310 patients were included in the analysis. Outcomes included in-hospital complications, implant malposition or failure, perioperative fracture, length of hospital stay (LOS), hospital costs, and 30- and 90-day readmission rates. Multivariable regression analyses were performed to adjust for residual confounding factors.

resultsRobotic-assisted UKA was associated with significantly lower complication rates compared with conventional UKA (3.7% versus 13.2%, p < 0.001). Specifically, robotic-assisted procedures had reduced risks of implant malposition or failure (odds ratio [OR] = 0.08; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.05-0.13; p < 0.001) and perioperative fracture (OR = 0.18; 95% CI 0.04-0.76; p = 0.020). No significant differences were observed in LOS, total hospital costs, or readmission rates at 30 and 90 days.

conclusionsRobotic-assisted UKA is associated with improved short-term surgical safety, including fewer complications, particularly, reduced implant malposition and perioperative fractures. However, broader hospital metrics such as LOS, cost, and readmissions were comparable between the two approaches. Further prospective studies are needed to validate these findings and assess long-term outcomes and cost-effectiveness. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: Level III. CLINICAL TRIAL REGISTRATION NUMBER: Not applicable.

Indexed as

Arthroplasty, Replacement, KneeRobotic Surgical ProceduresAgedDatabases, FactualFemaleHospital CostsHumansLength of StayMaleMiddle AgedPatient ReadmissionPostoperative ComplicationsPropensity ScoreRetrospective StudiesTreatment OutcomeUnited StatesNational Readmission DatabaseOsteoarthritisRobotic-assisted surgeryShort-term outcomesUnicompartmental knee arthroplasty

Identifiers

PMID41329432
PMCPMC12672964

What OpenQuestion holds

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LicenceCC BY-NC-ND
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Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.