Physics

Total knee arthroplasty

Accelerometer

Operating system

Surgery

Artificial intelligence

Component (thermodynamics)

Navigation system

Arthroplasty

Computer science

Medicine

Thermodynamics

Physical medicine and rehabilitation

The Journal of Arthroplasty

Computer-assisted surgical (CAS) navigation has been developed with the aim of improving the accuracy and precision of total knee arthroplasty (TKA) component positioning and therefore overall limb alignment. The historical goal of knee arthroplasty has been to restore the mechanical alignment of the lower limb by aligning the femoral and tibial components perpendicular to the mechanical axis of the femur and tibia. Despite over 4 decades of TKA component development and nearly 2 decades of interest in CAS, the fundamental question remains; does the alignment goal and/or the method of achieving that goal affect the outcome of the TKA in terms of patient-reported outcome measures and/or overall survivorship? The quest for reliable and reproducible achievement of the intraoperative alignment goal has been the primary motivator for the introduction, development, and refinement of CAS navigation.

Current Role of Computer Navigation in Total Knee Arthroplasty