TRUCK (Total or Robotic bi-UniCompartmental Knee) Trial

• Research type

  Research Study

• Full title

  Explanatory comparative study of conventional Total Knee Arthroplasty versus Robotic assisted Bi-UniCompartmental Knee Arthroplasty

• IRAS ID

  135776

• Contact name

  Mark Blyth

• Contact email

  mark.blyth@ggc.scot.nhs.uk

• Sponsor organisation

  NHS Greater Glasgow & Clyde

• Research summary

  This study will compare a novel robotic assisted knee replacement surgery, for Osteoarthritis of the Knee, with traditional Total Knee Replacement (TKR). There are two main forms of knee replacement used to treat Osteoarthritis. Unicompartmental Knee Replacement (UKR) - used when only one side of the knee is diseased. This form of surgery removes minimal amounts of bone, leaves the knee ligaments intact and offers better function for patients than TKR. In contrast during TKR surgery the whole knee joint is removed and replaced by large metal implants placed over the cut ends of the tibia (shin) and femur (thigh). TKR also requires removal of some of the ligaments of the knee and often causes damage to the muscles at the front of the thigh. After surgery TKR results in poorer patterns of gait (movement of the limbs, e.g. walking pattern), which limits patient function, particularly for sporting activities. Although UKR provides better functional outcome it is only suitable for patients with disease on one side of their knee, leaving TKR as the only alternative for patients with disease on both sides of the knee. UKR is also a more technically difficult operation to perform. Recently surgical robotic systems have been introduced to aid surgeons undertaking UKR.
  A natural extension of UKR technique would be to use two UKR’s implanted at the same time on either side of the knee - Bi-Unicompartmental Knee Replacement. We believe that robotic assistance can facilitate this form of surgery. The proposed randomised study will compare Robotic Assisted Bi-Unicompartmental Knee Replacement with traditional TKR. The study will determine whether or not this novel form of Robotic surgery can produce a more ‘normal’ acting knee, allowing normal patterns of walking (gait) and therefore produce functional benefits for the patient.

• REC name

  West of Scotland REC 4

• REC reference

  14/WS/0134

• Date of REC Opinion

  1 Aug 2014

• REC opinion

  Further Information Favourable Opinion