Evidence map›Paper›PMID 41511564›Full record

Observational studyJournal of robotic surgery2026

Robotic-assisted hip and knee replacement in NHS scotland: trends and efficiency implications (2020-2024).

Wissem Tafat, Marcin Budka, David McDonald, Robert G Middleton, Findlay Welsh, Thomas W Wainwright

Abstract readObservational Study
In one paragraph

Observational study in Journal of robotic surgery, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 2 papers, 1 of them a synthesis that pooled it.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
2citing 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

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

  1. Pooled it
  2. Article
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.

Wissem TafatOrthopaedic Research Institute (ORI), Bournemouth University, Poole, UK. wtafat@bournemouth.ac.uk.
Marcin BudkaFaculty of Science and Technology, Bournemouth University, Poole, UK.
David McDonaldCentre for Sustainable Delivery, Golden Jubilee National Hospital, Clydebank, UK.
Robert G MiddletonOrthopaedic Research Institute (ORI), Bournemouth University, Poole, UK.
Findlay WelshGolden Jubilee National Hospital, Clydebank, UK.
Thomas W WainwrightOrthopaedic Research Institute (ORI), Bournemouth University, Poole, UK.

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

Robotic-assisted hip and knee replacement has been increasingly adopted in orthopaedic practice, offering potential advantages in surgical precision and workflow consistency. However, its efficiency compared with conventional manual methods in real-world NHS practice remains debated. This retrospective observational study analysed routinely collected data from the Arthroplasty Rehabilitation in Scotland Endeavour (ARISE) programme, including patients undergoing unilateral primary hip or knee replacement between 2020 and 2024. Robotic-assisted status, type of surgery, and operative duration were examined. Uptake of robotic-assisted hip and knee replacement was assessed annually, and comparative analyses evaluated operative times between robotic-assisted and manual procedures. Robotic-assisted hip and knee replacements increased from 101 procedures in 2020 to 1164 in 2024, representing a tenfold rise. Despite this growth, robotic cases accounted for fewer than 10% of all hip and knee replacements, with uptake concentrated in a small number of centres. Median operative durations were similar between robotic-assisted and manual procedures for both hips and knees. However, robotic surgeries demonstrated narrower interquartile ranges and fewer outliers. Knee replacements showed consistently higher adoption than hip replacement across the study period. Robotic-assisted hip and knee replacement has expanded rapidly in NHS Scotland, though access remains uneven across hospitals. Operative efficiency is comparable to conventional methods, but improved consistency may offer service-level benefits such as more predictable theatre scheduling. Wider adoption will require strategic investment in infrastructure, training, and equitable resource distribution to maximise the potential benefits of robotic-assisted technology within the NHS.

Indexed as

Arthroplasty, Replacement, HipArthroplasty, Replacement, KneeRobotic Surgical ProceduresAgedFemaleHumansMaleMiddle AgedOperative TimeRetrospective StudiesScotlandState MedicineHip replacementKnee replacementOperative timeRobotic surgerySurgical efficiencySurgical outcomes

Identifiers

PMID41511564
PMCPMC12789219

What OpenQuestion holds

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LicenceCC BY
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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.