The use of computer-assisted orthopaedic surgery in complex cases of hip and knee arthroplasty: experience from a developing country.

ABSTRACT

The technology of computer-assisted orthopaedic surgery (CAOS) has been used in many developed countries for the last two decades. Initially, it was thought that CAOS would be the standard in surgical practice, but so far its clinical application has been limited due to the involved cost and complexity. The cost-effectiveness of CAOS techniques has also been questioned. Therefore, it is expected that the application of CAOS in developing countries would be more limited for the same reasons. Herein, the author presents a surgical experience of using different CAOS techniques in Egypt. Computer-assisted templating software was used in complex and neglected cases of hip arthritis and in cases of leg length discrepancy. Navigation techniques were employed in knee arthroplasty in patients with extraarticular deformities. Computer-assisted patient-specific instruments were used for bilateral simultaneous knee arthroplasty in medically unfit patients and in patients with severe articular deformities. Contrary to expectations, the experience proved that CAOS is more useful and possibly cost-effective when used in hip and knee arthroplasty for complex and neglected cases in developing countries.