Robotics in Arthroplasty Surgery, with Special Guest Daniel Berry (Has the Promise Been Met).

Daniel Berry

MD

Associate Professor, University of Minnesota, Mayo Clinic

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Marc Swiontkowski

MD, FAOA

Professor, University of Minnesota

Mohit Bhandari

FRCSC, PhD

Distinguished University Professor, Chair of Surgery, McMaster University

Robotic arthroplasty is presented as a technology with clear technical advantages—greater precision, accuracy, and potential for personalized alignment—yet its clinical impact remains uncertain. Dan Berry emphasizes that while radiographic surrogates consistently improve with robotics, meaningful gains in pain, function, or revision rates have not been demonstrated. He highlights challenges in evaluating real-world performance, especially among low-volume community surgeons, where robotics might theoretically reduce outliers but are difficult to study without bias. He also notes the emerging risk that younger surgeons, trained almost exclusively on robotics, may lack manual bailout skills if systems fail. Beyond technology, Berry stresses the importance of creativity, collaboration, travel, and cultivating interests outside orthopedics to stay innovative over a long career.