Process optimization in navigated total knee arthroplasty.

Although navigation achieves better alignment results in total knee arthroplasty (TKA), it is generally assumed that navigation also needs more time and effort than conventional surgeries. After optimizing the treatment procedure of navigated TKA, the operation times needed for navigated surgeries were documented and compared with the average time of conventional surgeries, registered before the introduction of the navigation system. Sixty consecutive patients for uncemented TKAs were included in the navigated series. Results show an average of 49 minutes for the navigated surgeries, which is less than the average of the manual surgeries. For all patients, alignment was within 3 degrees varus/valgus postoperatively, and the mean Knee Society Score improved from 25 points preoperatively to 83 points 6 weeks postoperatively.