Postoperative patient-reported outcomes in intraoperative sensor-assisted versus manual primary total knee arthroplasty: a scoping review

Purpose To compare postoperative patient-reported outcomes between intraoperative sensor-assisted and manual primary total knee arthroplasty (TKA) by reviewing the available literature on this topic. Methods We conducted a systematic search of the PubMed and Web of Science databases from their inception until April 2023 to identify clinical studies comparing postoperative patient-reported outcomes between intraoperative sensor-assisted and manual primary TKA. We excluded nonclinical studies and conference abstracts without full-text. Joanna Briggs Institute (JBI) checklists were used for critical appraisal of the eligible clinical studies. Results Out of the nine clinical studies that met the predefined inclusion and exclusion criteria, six were cohorts and three were randomized controlled trials. Eight studies found no significant difference in postoperative patient-reported outcomes between intraoperative sensor-assisted and manual primary TKA. One study reported significantly higher Knee Society Score and Oxford Knee Score in sensor-assisted TKA as compared to manual primary TKA. None of the included studies satisfied all of the criteria outlined in the JBI checklists. Conclusions This review finds that there is no evidence to support the claim that sensor-assisted TKA is superior to manual primary TKA in terms of short-term postoperative patient-reported outcomes. Future clinical studies with larger sample sizes and long-term follow-ups are required to assess the potential benefits of intraoperative sensor-assisted TKA.