SHAPE SENSING FOR ROBOTIC KNEE REPLACEMENT SURGERIES
WHITE PAPER
To keep up with the revolutionization of the operating room, medical device manufacturers, providers and research institutions are finding common ground seeking innovative ways to improve the experience during surgical procedures. The Shape Sensing Company’s (TSSC’s) fiber optic 3D navigation technology is bringing a disruptive approach to the marketplace by leveraging the application agnosticism of fiber shape sensing into orthopedic robotics. Where traditional robotic-assisted orthopedic procedures fall short in creating streamlined surgical workflows, fiber shape sensing removes added operating room complexity while maintaining performance competitive to current navigation technology.
The Total Knee Arthroplasty (TKA), or the process to replace the knee joint with an artificial implant, is currently the most common inpatient procedure for US adults over the age of 45 amounting to 800,000 procedures performed annually. With conditions such as obesity affecting a broader amount of the population, coupled with the increase in life expectancy over the past few generations, the wear and tear on ball and socket joints will inevitably cause an increase in the need for TKA procedures. The rising star of the orthopedic operating room is the introduction of cutting-
edge robotic technology. As of 2021, it is reported by the American Joint Replacement Registry that somewhere around 11% of joint replacement procedures are performed using robotic assistance, with that number expected to grow annually at a rate of 8% from 2021 to 2030. From a technical perspective, surgical robotics lends itself well to orthopedic joint replacement. The procedures are straight forward and easily bolstered by introducing the precision of a high accuracy robotic arm. Although data is limited suggesting the robotic assisted TKA produces a longer lasting implant, the new approach shows improved short-term clinical outcomes compared to the conventional procedure. This improvement is the product of exceptional surgeon-to-robot precision when removing material and placing the implant, as reported in a 2020 orthopedic review comparing the two TKA methods.
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