First of Its Kind Handheld Digital Tensioning Device for Robotically-Enabled Total Knee Arthroplasty Reduces Variability

Traditional total knee arthroplasty has proven to be an effective treatment for advanced arthritis, as it alleviates pain and boasts long-term durability. Nevertheless, over half of the patients experience some degree of functional limitations in their daily activities and sports after undergoing total knee arthroplasty. Robotic-assisted surgery has demonstrated enhanced surgical results and the ability to achieve better knee alignment compared to conventional methods. A specially designed device now allows surgeons to gauge ligament tension in the knee before bone cutting, leading to more precise surgical planning and reduced variability in balancing the knee during surgery, compared to other available options.

Smith+Nephew (London, UK) has unveiled its innovative CORI Digital Tensioner, which generates a quantifiable, surgeon-determined force to separate the knee joint, consistently apply tension to the ligaments, and offer objective gap data for procedural planning and execution. As a pioneering solution in robotic-assisted surgery, the CORI Digital Tensioner addresses various challenges faced by surgeons. It is the first and only ligament tensioning device in robotic-assisted surgery that evaluates joint laxity in the native knee prior to conducting bony resection.

Image: CORI Digital Tensioner lets surgeons measure the ligament tension in a knee prior to cutting bone (Photo courtesy of Smith+Nephew)

The CORI Digital Tensioner facilitates the automatic collection of gap data at a specified force throughout the entire range of motion. With a software interface, this innovative tensioning device enables surgeons to select their desired target force value. A small-scale clinical case series revealed that the CORI Digital Tensioner decreased tensioning variability by 64% in comparison to a manual technique.

"The integration of this dedicated soft tissue tensioning device brings a new realm of objective data to the technique of knee replacement," said Dr. Steven Haas at Hospital for Special Surgery in New York. "The surgeon is now able to collect joint laxity data, in a proactive manner, to assist with the visualization, planning and execution of the patient's surgery in real time. It's unlike any other tool we've historically had available and will be a powerful addition to the robotic-assisted knee replacement technology that the CORI platform currently offers."

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