Tailored to Fit: A Review of the Role of Custom Implants in Total Knee Arthroplasty

Total knee arthroplasty (TKA) can be performed using either conventional off-the-shelf (OTS) implants or customized individually made (CIM) implants. This study aims to review existing literature and compare clinical outcomes between patients receiving CIM and OTS implants, specifIcally in terms of satisfaction, radiographic/alignment outcomes, revision rates, and costs. A review of literature was conducted using Medline, Cochrane, and Embase to identify articles comparing CIM and OTS implants in TKA patients. Data and outcomes were described qualitatively. Overall, based on the current evidence, custom implants have been shown to yield comparable to improved patient-reported and clinical outcomes, anatomic match, and excellent registry survival outcomes as compared with conventional OTS implants for the general population undergoing TKA. (Journal of Surgical Orthopaedic Advances 34(3):114-118, 2025)

Key words: total knee arthroplasty, custom implants, off -the-shelf implants