He M, Sun AR, Wu XX, Fan XW, Mao XZ. Augmented reality in total knee arthroplasty: Balancing precision, promise, and challenges in surgical innovation. World J Orthop 2025; 16(6): 107215 [DOI: 10.5312/wjo.v16.i6.107215]
Corresponding Author of This Article
Xin-Zhan Mao, PhD, Professor, Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, The Second Xiangya Hospital of Central South University, No. 139 Remin Middle Road, Changsha 410011, Hunan Province, China. xinzhan.mao@csu.edu.cn
Research Domain of This Article
Orthopedics
Article-Type of This Article
Letter to the Editor
Open-Access Policy of This Article
This article is an open-access article which was selected by an in-house editor and fully peer-reviewed by external reviewers. It is distributed in accordance with the Creative Commons Attribution Non Commercial (CC BY-NC 4.0) license, which permits others to distribute, remix, adapt, build upon this work non-commercially, and license their derivative works on different terms, provided the original work is properly cited and the use is non-commercial. See: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/
Miao He, Xiao-Xin Wu, Xi-Wei Fan, Xin-Zhan Mao, Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, The Second Xiangya Hospital of Central South University, Changsha 410011, Hunan Province, China
Miao He, Xiao-Xin Wu, Xi-Wei Fan, Xin-Zhan Mao, Traumatic Orthopaedic Research Laboratory, The Second Xiangya Hospital of Central South University, Changsha 410011, Hunan Province, China
Antonia RuJia Sun, Centre for Biomedical Technologies, Queensland University of Technology, Brisbane 4059, Queensland, Australia
Antonia RuJia Sun, School of Mechanical, Medical and Process Engineering, Queensland University of Technology, Brisbane 4059, Queensland, Australia
Co-corresponding authors: Xin-Zhan Mao and Xi-Wei Fan.
Author contributions: He M wrote the original draft; Sun AR performed language polishing; Wu XX participated in drafting the manuscript; Fan XW and Mao XZ contributed to conceptualisation, reviewing and editing; all authors have read and approved the final version of the manuscript.
Supported by The Hunan Provincial Natural Science Foundation of China, No. 2023JJ30773, No. 2025JJ60480, and No. 2025JJ60552; The Scientific Research Program of The Hunan Provincial Health Commission, No. 202204072544; The Science and Technology Innovation Program of Hunan Province, No. 2024RC3053; The CBT ECR/MCR Scheme, No. 324910-0028/07; National Natural Science Foundation of China, No. 32300652; The Scientific Research Program of Hunan Provincial Health Commission, No. W20243023; and The Scientific Research Launch Project for New Employees of The Second Xiangya Hospital of Central South University.
Conflict-of-interest statement: All the authors report no relevant conflicts of interest for this article.
Open Access: This article is an open-access article that was selected by an in-house editor and fully peer-reviewed by external reviewers. It is distributed in accordance with the Creative Commons Attribution NonCommercial (CC BY-NC 4.0) license, which permits others to distribute, remix, adapt, build upon this work non-commercially, and license their derivative works on different terms, provided the original work is properly cited and the use is non-commercial. See: https://creativecommons.org/Licenses/by-nc/4.0/
Corresponding author: Xin-Zhan Mao, PhD, Professor, Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, The Second Xiangya Hospital of Central South University, No. 139 Remin Middle Road, Changsha 410011, Hunan Province, China. xinzhan.mao@csu.edu.cn
Received: March 20, 2025 Revised: April 19, 2025 Accepted: May 18, 2025 Published online: June 18, 2025 Processing time: 90 Days and 23.2 Hours
Abstract
Augmented reality (AR) is a technology that superimposes digital information onto real-world objects via head-mounted display devices to improve surgical finesse through visually enhanced medical information. With the rapid development of digital technology, AR has been increasingly adopted in orthopedic surgeries across the globe, especially in total knee arthroplasty procedures which demand high precision. By overlaying digital information onto the surgeon's field of view, AR systems enhance precision, improve alignment accuracy, and reduce the risk of complications associated with malalignment. Some concerns have been raised despite accuracy, including the learning curve, long-term outcomes, and technical limitations. Furthermore, it is essential for health practitioners to gain trust in the utilisation of AR.
Core Tip: Augmented reality (AR) revolutionises total knee arthroplasty by enhancing surgical precision, improving prosthesis alignment, and reducing complications. It also aids in postoperative pain management and rehabilitation, offering immersive experiences that improve patient outcomes. However, challenges such as a steep learning curve, device limitations, and unknown long-term efficacy need to be addressed for broader clinical adoption. Despite these limitations, AR promises to advance orthopedic surgery and patient recovery.
