Orthopedic Surgical Robots—What Does the Evidence Say?

​Orthopedic surgical robots are designed to increase the accuracy of implant placement and to reduce the invasiveness of procedures, with the goal of improving patient outcomes compared to traditional surgery. These systems typically perform a single task (e.g., bone milling) during the surgery; the rest of the procedure is handled as in traditional surgery. These devices operate either through direct surgeon control or through autonomous computer control that follows a patient-specific plan.

But caution is required when evaluating manufacturers' claims about their products' benefits. It can be quite a challenge to figure out whether a claim...