How Does Electromagnetic Navigation Stack Up Against Infrared Navigation in Minimally Invasive Total Knee Arthroplasties?

• Published in: The Journal of arthroplasty Vol. 23; no. 4; pp. 573 - 580
• Main Authors: Lionberger, David R., Weise, Jennifer, Ho, David M., Haddad, John L.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: United States Elsevier Inc 01.06.2008
• Subjects: Aged; Arthritis, Rheumatoid - surgery; Arthroplasty, Replacement, Knee - instrumentation; computer-assisted orthopedic surgery; Electromagnetic Fields; electromagnetic navigation; Female; Humans; Infrared Rays; Male; mechanical alignment; Middle Aged; minimally invasive; Orthopedics; Osteoarthritis, Knee - surgery; Prospective Studies; Sensitivity and Specificity; surgery; Surgery, Computer-Assisted - instrumentation; Tomography, Spiral Computed; total knee arthroplasty; computer-assisted orthopedic surgery; total knee arthroplasty; minimally invasive; electromagnetic navigation; mechanical alignment; surgery
• ISSN: 0883-5403; 1532-8406
• DOI: 10.1016/j.arth.2007.07.005

Forty-six primary total knee arthroplasties were performed using either an electromagnetic (EM) or infrared (IR) navigation system. In this IRB-approved study, patients were evaluated clinically and for accuracy using spiral computed tomographic imaging and 36-in standing radiographs. Although EM navigation was subject to metal interference, it was not as drastic as line-of-sight interference with IR navigation. Mechanical alignment was ideal in 92.9% of EM and 90.0% of IR cases based on spiral computed tomographic imaging and 100% of EM and 95% of IR cases based on x-ray. Individual measurements of component varus/valgus and sagittal measurements showed EM to be equivalent to IR, with both systems producing subdegree accuracy in 95% of the readings.