Evidence map›Paper›PMID 42231424›Full record

ArticleArthroplasty (London, England)2026

Iatrogenic coronal-sagittal coupling driven by a 12.4° rotational mismatch in manual total knee arthroplasty and precise decoupling with robotic assistance: a radiographic retrospective cohort study.

Hongxu Li, Qihan Ma, Haoyang Liu, Hangyu Ping, Mengran Shen, Debo Yue, Bailiang Wang, Jinhui Ma

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in Arthroplasty (London, England), 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 1 paper.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
1citing papers in PubMed
–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

1 citing paper in PubMed.

  1. 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

8 authors.

Hongxu LiDepartment of Orthopaedic Surgery, Peking University China-Japan Friendship School of Clinical Medicine, Beijing, 100029, China.
Qihan MaDepartment of Orthopaedic Surgery, Center for Osteonecrosis and Joint Preserving & Reconstruction, China-Japan Friendship Hospital, Beijing, 100029, China.
Haoyang LiuDepartment of Orthopaedic Surgery, Peking University China-Japan Friendship School of Clinical Medicine, Beijing, 100029, China.
Hangyu PingDepartment of Orthopaedic Surgery, Center for Osteonecrosis and Joint Preserving & Reconstruction, China-Japan Friendship Hospital, Beijing, 100029, China.
Mengran ShenJiangsu Province (Suqian) Hospital, Suqian, Jiangsu, 223800, China.
Debo YueDepartment of Orthopaedic Surgery, Center for Osteonecrosis and Joint Preserving & Reconstruction, China-Japan Friendship Hospital, Beijing, 100029, China.
Bailiang WangDepartment of Orthopaedic Surgery, Peking University China-Japan Friendship School of Clinical Medicine, Beijing, 100029, China. wang_orthopaedic@126.com.
Jinhui MaDepartment of Orthopaedic Surgery, Peking University China-Japan Friendship School of Clinical Medicine, Beijing, 100029, China. 1402317340@qq.com.

Funding

the Excellence & Innovation Initiative of China-Japan Friendship Hospital ZRZC2025-XY C01the Innovative Development Research Program for Young Scientific and Technological Talents in Orthopaedics and Traumatology GSKONJJ-2025-015the National High Level Hospital Clinical Research Funding 2025-NHLHCRF-PY-02
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundAchieving precise reconstruction of both the coronal and sagittal planes is pivotal in total knee arthroplasty (TKA). However, conventional manual TKA (M-TKA) may induce an unintended "coronal-sagittal coupling" effect, where adjustments in one plane inadvertently alter the outcome in the other. This study aimed to quantify this iatrogenic coupling effect in M-TKA and to evaluate the potential benefits of robotic-assisted TKA (R-TKA) in decoupling these two planes and preserving sagittal Combined Flexion (CF).

methodsThis retrospective study consecutively enrolled 360 patients who underwent primary TKA between October 2023 and October 2025 (199 in the manual group and 161 in the robotic group). Pre- and postoperative coronal and sagittal parameters were measured on standing full-length lower extremity radiographs and standard lateral radiographs. The "Tibial Cutting Guide Varus/Valgus Angle" (TCVA) was defined to quantify the deviation in cutting guide placement. The study adopted a systematic stepwise analysis strategy: initially detecting potential inter-planar coupling via correlation analysis, subsequently identifying independent predictors of sagittal posterior tibial slope using linear regression models, and finally calculating the equivalent rotational mismatch angle driving this coupling from regression coefficients based on stereometric projection principles.

resultsIn the M-TKA group, ΔMPTA showed a significant negative correlation with ΔPTS (r = - 0.209, p = 0.003), an effect not observed in the R-TKA group. TCVA was a significant independent predictor of postoperative PTS in M-TKA, and geometric analysis revealed an equivalent rotational mismatch of approximately 12.4° between the cutting guide rotational axis and the prosthesis placement axis. The CF preservation rate was significantly higher in the R-TKA group than in the M-TKA group (60.9% vs. 22.6%, p < 0.001). Additionally, ΔDFF and ΔPTS showed a significant negative correlation within the R-TKA group, demonstrating a unique intra-sagittal compensatory mechanism.

conclusionConventional M-TKA exhibits an iatrogenic coronal-sagittal coupling effect, whereby coronal plane correction errors are projected onto the sagittal plane through inherent rotational mismatch and cutting guide tilt, with error magnitude positively correlated with deformity severity. R-TKA effectively decouples these two planes and better preserves the native sagittal geometric alignment through femoral-tibial synergistic adjustment. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: Level III, a retrospective cohort study.

Indexed as

Combined flexionCoronal-sagittal couplingRobotic-assisted surgeryRotational alignmentTotal knee arthroplasty

Identifiers

PMID42231424
PMCPMC13231751

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
LicenceCC BY
Read underepoch 390

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.