OE Journal

ORIGINAL ANALYSIS

Robotic-Assisted Total Hip Arthroplasty: A Meta-analysis of Randomized Controlled Trials

Robotic assistance in total hip arthroplasty has expanded quickly, but the randomized evidence still paints an uncertain picture. Across seven small RCTs using the early ROBODOC system, patient-reported outcomes such as the Harris Hip Score, Merle D’Aubigne score, and normalized function scales showed no meaningful differences compared with conventional THA. Only the JOA score showed a slight edge for the robotic approach at early follow-up, and adverse events were comparable. Methodological limitations—especially lack of blinding, unclear allocation procedures, and small sample sizes—led to very low certainty ratings across all outcomes. With newer systems like MAKO now widely used yet untested in RCTs, stronger and larger trials are needed before deciding whether robotics truly adds value in THA.