Case-control study on robot-assisted core decompression and conventional core decompression for early necrosis of femoral head

OBJECTIVE: To compare clinical effect of robot-assisted core decompression and conventional core decompression in treating ARCO Ⅰ stage necrosis of femoral head. METHODS: A retrospective analysis was performed on 60(unilateral operation) patients who underwent core decompression for femoral head necrosis from February 2018 to February 2020. Among them, 30 patients(30 hips) were underwent robot-assisted core decompression (RCD group), including 19 males and 11 females, aged from 17 to 58 years old with an average of(38.50±10.61) years old;30 patients(30 hips) were underwent traditional core decompression surgery (CCD group), including 20 males and 10 females, aged from 20 to 55 years old with an average of (40.63±10.63) years old. Intraoperative fluoroscopy times, intraoperative blood loss and operation time between two groups, and Harris score, visual analogue scale (VAS) before opertaion and 24 months after operation were compared. RESULTS: All patients were followed up, RCD group followed up from 21 to 26 months with an average of(23.40±1.65) months, CCD group followed up from 21 to 26 months with an average of (23.30±1.66) months, and had no difference between two groups(P>0.05). The number of intraoperative X-ray fluoroscopy, intraoperative blood loss and operative time in RCD group were (9.43±1.14) times, (153.80±22.04) ml, (33.40±1.87) min, respectively;while(19.67±1.32) times, (165.04±20.41) ml and (54.75±3.46) min in CCD group respectively;and there were statistical difference between two groups(P<0.05). In addition, there were no statistical difference between two groups in Harris score and VAS at 24 months after operation(P>0.05). CONCLUSION: Compared with conventional core decompression, robot-assisted core decompression could reduce the number of intraoperative fluoroscopy, shorten operation time, and reduce risk of surgery.