Robotic Arm-assisted Total Hip Arthroplasty Reduces Postoperative Trochanteric Bursitis and Changes in Hip Offset

We investigated the effect of robotic assistance in a postoperative change in hip offset and the incidence of trochanteric bursitis among total hip arthroplasty (THA) patients. As part of a retrospective study of a consecutive series of patients over a 3-year period, 211 patients (102 traditional; 109 robotic) between 2013 and 2016 who underwent posterior-lateral THA were reviewed. Hip off set was measured on preoperative and postoperative anterior-posterior (AP) pelvis radiographs. The absolute change in total hip offset was higher in patients undergoing non-robotic THA than in patients undergoing robotic THA (5.98 ± 4.47 mm vs 4.33 ± 3.98 mm; p = 0.008). The rate of symptomatic trochanteric bursitis (p = 0.02) and cortisone injection was higher in non-robotic THA patients than in robotic THA patients (p = 0.002). Robotic arm-assisted THA is associated with a decreased postoperative change in hip off set, incidence of symptomatic trochanteric bursitis, and bursal steroid injections. (Journal of Surgical Orthopaedic Advances 32(4):112-116, 2023)

Key words: total hip arthroplasty (THA), trochanteric bursitis, off set, robotic arm-assisted