Effectiveness of Periarticular Pin Tracker Placement Through a Single Main Incision in Robotic-Assisted Total Knee Arthroplasty: Technical Note and Short-Term Results

Abstract

Background and Objectives: Robotic-assisted total knee arthroplasty (TKA) is gaining popularity worldwide, leading to a potential increase in the number of pin tracker–related complications. This study determined the effectiveness of periarticular pin tracker placement in the distal femur and proximal tibia through a single main incision during robotic-assisted TKA over a minimum follow-up period of 6 months. Materials and Methods: A consecutive series of 149 TKAs was performed in 108 patients using the triathlon posterior-stabilized total knee prosthesis with a robotic-assisted system at our hospital from December 2023 to February 2024. Clinical outcomes and complications associated with pin tracker sites, including pin-site infection, neurovascular injury, hematoma, soft-tissue morbidity, and pin-site fracture, were assessed. Results: The mean Knee Society knee score improved from 42.5 preoperatively to 76.3 points at the final follow-up, whereas the mean Knee Society function score improved from 43.1 preoperatively to 78.1 points at the final follow-up (both p < 0.05). No patient experienced any minor or major complications related to the use of pin trackers in the distal femur and proximal tibia. Conclusions: This periarticular technique that uses pin trackers in the distal femur and proximal tibia through a single main incision could be a useful option for orthopedic surgeons while performing robotic-assisted TKA.