Study on the correlation between early three-dimensional gait analysis and clinical efficacy after robot-assisted total knee arthroplasty.

PURPOSE: Robot-assisted technology is a forefront of surgical innovation that improves the accuracy of total knee arthroplasty (TKA). But whether the accuracy of surgery can improve the clinical efficacy still needs further research. The purpose of this study is to perform three-dimensional (3D) analysis in the early postoperative period of patients who received robot-assisted total knee arthroplasty (RATKA), and to study the trend of changes in gait parameters after RATKA and the correlation with the early clinical efficacy. METHODS: Patients who received RATKA in the Center of Joint Surgery, the First Hospital Affiliated to Army Military Medical University from October 2020 to January 2021 were included. The imaging parameters, i.e., hip-knee-ankle angle, lateral distal femoral angle, medial proximal tibial angle, posterior condylar angle were measured 3 months post-TKA. The 3D gait analysis and clinical efficacy by Western Ontario Mac Master University Index (WOMAC) score were performed pre-TKA, 3 and 6 months post-TKA. The differences in spatiotemporal parameters of gait, kinetic parameters, and kinematic parameters of the operated limb and the contralateral limb were compared. The correlation between gait parameters and WOMAC scores was analyzed. Paired sample t-test and Wilcoxon rank-sum test were used to analyze the difference between groups, and Spearman correlation coefficient was used to analyze the correlation. RESULTS: There were 31 patients included in this study, and the imaging indexes showed that all of them returned to normal post-TKA. The WOMAC score at 3 months post-TKA was significantly lower than that pre-TKA, and there was no significant difference between at 3 and 6 months. The 3D gait analysis results showed that the double support time of the operated limb reduced at 3 and 6 months (all p < 0.05), the maximum extension and maximum external rotation of the knee joint increased at stance phase, and the maximum flexion angle, the range of motion and the maximum external rotation increased at swing phase. Compared with the preoperative data, there were significant improvements (all p < 0.05). Compared with the contralateral knee joint, the maximum external rotation of the knee joint at swing phase was smaller than that of the contralateral side, and the maximum flexion and extension moment was greater than that of the contralateral knee. The maximum external rotation moment of the joint was greater than that of the contralateral knee joint (p < 0.05). There was a negative correlation between the single support time pre-TKA and the WOMAC score at 3 months (p = 0.017), and the single support time at 3 months was negatively correlated with the WOMAC score at 6 months (p = 0.043). The cadence at 6 months was negatively correlated with the WOMAC score at 6 months (p = 0.031). The maximum knee extension at stance phase at 6 months was negatively correlated with the WOMAC score at 6 month (p = 0.048). The maximum external rotation at stance phase at 6 months was negatively correlated with the WOMAC score at 6 months (p = 0.024). CONCLUSION: The 3D gait analysis of RATKA patients is more sensitive than WOMAC score in evaluating the clinical efficacy. Trend of changes in gait parameters shows that the knee joint support, flexion and extension function, range of motion, external rotation and varus deformity moment of the patient were significantly improved at 3 months after surgery, and continued to 6 months after surgery. Compared with the contralateral knee, the gait parameters of the operated limb still has significant gaps in functionality, such as the external rotation and flexion and extension. The single support time, cadence, knee extension, and knee external rotation of the operated limb have a greater correlation with the postoperative WOMAC score. Postoperative rehabilitation exercises should be emphasized, which is of great value for improving the early efficacy of RATKA.

A Newly Designed "SkyWalker" Robot Applied in Total Knee Arthroplasty: A Retrospective Cohort Study for Femoral Rotational Alignment Restoration.

OBJECTIVE: This study explored whether robotic arm-assisted total knee arthroplasty (RATKA) has the advantage of restoring femoral rotational alignment compared to conventional total knee arthroplasty (COTKA). METHODS: Sixty patients (45 women and 15 men) attending our department from May 2019 to December 2020 were selected and divided into two groups, with 30 patients in each group, according to whether they underwent COTKA or RATKA. Femoral rotational alignment results, such as, posterior condylar angle (PCA), patella transverse axis-femoral transepicondylar axis angle (PFA), radiological findings, such as, hip-knee-ankle angle (HKA), lateral distal femoral angle (LDFA), and medial proximal tibial angle (MPTA), and operative data (operation time, intraoperative blood loss, tourniquet time, and length of stay (LOS), and clinical outcomes, such as maximum knee flexion angle (MKFA), Knee Society Score (KSS), and Western Ontario Mac Master University Index Score (WOMAC) were compared within and between the two groups. RESULTS: PCA and PFA in the RATKA group were (0.6 ± 0.3)° and (0.9 ± 0.3)°, respectively, which were smaller than (1.5 ± 2.0)° and (3.1 ± 1.1)° in the COTKA group (P < 0.05), and were closer to 0°; the differences in HKA, LDFA, and MPTA were not statistically significant. With the exception of the LDFA, the HKA, MPTA, PCA, and PFA improved in both groups after surgery (P < 0.05). The blood loss and the LOS of RATKA group were 192.3 ± 23.1 mL and 8.2 ± 1.4 days, which were less than 203.7 ± 29.8 mL and 9.3 ± 1.1 days of the COTKA group, but the operation time showed no statistically significant difference, and the tourniquet time was longer (P < 0.05). The MKFA in the RATKA group was (123.0 ± 3.7)°, which was greater than (116.3 ± 4.6)° in the COTKA group (P < 0.05). In terms of scores, the postoperative results were better than the preoperative results in both groups (P < 0.05). However, there was no statistically significant difference between the groups. CONCLUSION: The accuracy of femoral rotational alignment reconstructed achieved by RATKA is significantly better than that of COTKA and is more conducive to the recovery of knee flexion function after surgery; although RATKA reduces intraoperative blood loss and postoperative LOS, the short-term clinical efficacy comparison has not yet demonstrated the advantages of robotic technology, and a more optimized design is needed to improve the efficiency of RATKA surgery.

Robotic arm-assisted arthroplasty: The latest developments.

Joint arthroplasty is an effective method for treating end-stage joint lesions and damages. Robotic arm-assisted arthroplasty, a rapidly developing technology that combines navigation technology, minimally invasive technology, and precise control technology of the robotic arm, can achieve accurate preoperative planning, optimal selection of implants, minimally invasive surgery, precise osteotomy, and accurate placement of the artificial joint. It has the characteristics of high accuracy and stability, and thus is more and more widely used in the field of joint surgery. In this paper, we systematically reviewed the application and clinical efficacy of robotic arm-assisted technology in hip and knee arthroplasty to provide reference for its future promotion.

Accuracy of a Novel 3D-Printed Patient-Specific Intramedullary Guide to Control Femoral Component Rotation in Total Knee Arthroplasty.

OBJECTIVE: Total knee arthroplasty (TKA) is one of the most universal and effective means for treating terminal stage osteoarthritis (OA) of knee. Accurate intramedullary guide of femur is the basis for the distal femoral cuts. Determining the surgical transepicondylar axis (sTEA) is the key to reconstruction of the femoral rotational alignment, because the correct rotational alignment can place the femoral component in the right position, balance the flexion gap so that the inner and outer tension is equal, get stability during the flexion process of the knee, and enhance the quality of life of patients. With the development of three-dimensional printing (3DP) technology in the medical domain, the application of patient-specific instrumentation (PSI) in arthroplasty has become more common. The aim of this study was to evaluate the accuracy of a novel 3D-printed patient-specific intramedullary guide to control femoral component rotation in TKA. METHODS: Eighty patients (65 females and 15 males) with knee OA were included in this prospective randomized study. The patients were divided into two groups by random number table method, 40 in each group. TKA assisted by PSI (PSI group) and conventional TKA (conventional group) was performed respectively. Clinical outcomes [operation time, postoperative drainage volume, duration of drainage, Hospital for Special Surgery knee score (HSS), American Knee Society knee score (AKS)] and radiological outcomes [hip-knee-ankle angle (HKA), posterior condylar angle (PCA), patella transverse axis-femoral transepicondylar axis angle (PFA), depth of intramedullary guide] were compared between and within the two groups. RESULTS: PSI group had less postoperative drainage volume but longer operation time than the conventional group (P < 0.05). The AKS and HSS scores after surgery were improved compared with those before surgery in each group (P < 0.05). However, there was no significant difference in the duration of drainage and range of motion (ROM) after surgery between the two groups. For the radiological results, the HKA and PFA were improved after surgery in both groups (P < 0.05).The postoperative PFA and PCA of the PSI group were closer to 0°, which was better than that of the conventional group (P < 0.05). The depth of intramedullary guide in the PSI group was less than the conventional group (P < 0.05). But there was no significant difference in HKA before and after surgery between the two groups as well as the preoperative PFA. CONCLUSION: The short-term clinical efficacy of TKA assisted by PSI was similar to the conventional TKA. Although TKA assisted by PSI spent more time during operation, it could assist in intramedullary guide and align femoral rotation more accurately.

[Progress on nitrogen regulation gene expression of plant pathogenic fungi under nitrogen starvation].

It has been confirmed that the occurrence of plant disease is caused by the effector molecules secreted by plant pathogens. The regulation effector gene expression is an important aspect in understanding of the infection process. The nutritional status of cells has been postulated to be a vital role for effector gene expression. Studies have indicated that the induction of the same effecter genes during growth in vitro as those during growth in planta under nitrogen-starved conditions. This showed that the nitrogen poor environment existed in the early time of plant evolution. This paper describes the system in the pathogenesis of several fungal pathogens and nitrogen in the process of gene expression effects from the results of several species by comparing and contrasting the function of nitrogen regulatory genes, as well as by studying plants in vivo and in vitro gene under nitrogen limitation inductive effect in order to reveal the effectiveness of nitrogen in the development process of host plant disease is an important factor.

[Genome-wide analysis of the secreted proteins of phytophthora infestans].

Based on the Phytophthora infestans genome sequence, we used bioinformatics and computer-based prediction algorithms to predict the secreted proteins of P infestans in detail, which would help us to elucidate the molecular mechanism underlying the interaction between the host plants and the P infestans. In this study, the signal peptide prediction algorithms SignalP v3.0 and PSORT, transmembrane helix prediction algorithms TMHMM-2.0 and THUMBUP, GPI-anchoring site prediction algorithm big-PI Predictor, and subcellular protein location distribution algorithm TargetP v1.01 were used to analyze the 22658 protein sequences of P infestans published. Our results suggested that there might be 671 secreted pro- teins, accounting for 3.0% of the total proteins. Among them, the functions of the 45 secreted proteins had been described previously. Their functions involved cellular metabolism and signal transduction etc. In addition, some of the secreted proteins were functionally similar to elicitin, which were likely to be associated with the virulence of P. infestans.