Sensor-Assisted TKA

Before the introduction and widespread use of the knee navigation system (navigation), the final intraoperative balance of TKA was left to the subjective judgment of the operating surgeon. However, with the introduction and widespread use of navigation, objective evaluation of implant balance and kinematic analysis through the full range of motion (ROM) is now possible. While navigation is not always an absolute answer, it is difficult to visually understand the presence or absence of contact between implants and the degree of compressive force through a full ROM with a closed reduction of the patellar. Therefore, the evaluation of “stability and mobility” must be subjective. This is the “ blind spot of navigation”. However, the edge localization of compressive force, lift-off of the femoral and tibial joint surfaces, and localized axial compression due to medial pivot motion are important factors affecting clinical outcomes, including long-term durability and postoperative ROM, such as premature wear and tear of inserts. Hence, intraoperative pressure sensors can compensate for this “blind spot of navigation” and achieve the appropriate balance between “stability and mobility.” The intraoperative use of pressure sensors is significant because it provides objective evaluation and scientific evidence of the distribution of compressive force on the tibial joint surface, which is reflected in the “establishment of objective surgical techniques,” the “improvement of long-term postoperative outcomes,” and the “education of future generations.