Smart knee implants and patient satisfaction after knee replacement
Official title: Evaluating the Impact of Remote Therapeutic Monitoring on Knee Arthroplasty Recovery
Run by University of Chicago · NCT06968143 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This study will see if smart knee implants that send recovery data can help people recover, stay satisfied, and reduce clinic visits after knee replacement.
Quick facts
| Study type | Interventional |
|---|---|
| Ages | 18 Years and up |
| Sex | All |
| Enrollment | 150 (estimated) |
| Sponsor | University of Chicago Academic / other |
| Locations | 1 site (Chicago, Illinois) |
| Status | Recruiting |
| Started | September 1, 2025 |
| Main results expected | April 30, 2027 |
| Study ends | October 31, 2027 |
| Registry record updated | December 17, 2025 |
| Trial ID | NCT06968143 on ClinicalTrials.gov |
Is this trial a fit for you?
✓Likely a good fit
Adults undergoing unilateral primary or revision total knee arthroplasty who can participate in routine physical therapy and engage with remote monitoring are ideal candidates.
✕Probably not a fit
Patients with postoperative weight-bearing restrictions, those unable to participate in routine physical therapy, or those having another lower-extremity joint replacement within 90 days are unlikely to benefit from the intervention.
A plain-English reading of the study's rules. Only the study team can confirm whether you qualify.
What this trial studies
This interventional study compares patients who receive a smart knee implant that streams range-of-motion, step count, and cadence to a mobile app with patients receiving standard postoperative care. Investigators will link these objective recovery metrics to patient-reported pain and function scores at multiple timepoints and analyze whether neighborhood socioeconomic status measured by the Area Deprivation Index predicts recovery. The study will also test whether remote therapeutic monitoring can reduce the number of postoperative clinic visits within the first 90 days while preserving satisfaction and PROMs. Participants are adults undergoing unilateral primary or revision total knee arthroplasty at the University of Chicago and will be followed through early postoperative recovery.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this approach could personalize follow-up, reduce unnecessary clinic visits, and help catch early problems to improve recovery after knee replacement.
How similar studies have gone: Wearable and remote-monitoring programs in orthopedics have shown promise for tracking recovery, but embedded smart knee implants are relatively new and have limited published outcome data.
Who can join: the full rules
Show full inclusion / exclusion criteria
Inclusion Criteria: * Patients over 18 years of age * Patients undergoing unilateral primary or revision total knee arthroplasty with the smart knee implant or standard-of-care Exclusion Criteria: * Patients who receive contralateral knee replacement or contralateral or unilateral hip replacement within 90 days before or after their knee replacement in this study * Patients with post-operative weight-bearing restrictions or physical deconditioning prohibiting routine physical therapy participation
Where it's running
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The University of Chicago Medical Center
Chicago, Illinois, United States Recruiting
Study contacts
- Principal investigator: Sara Wallace, MD — The University of Chicago Department of Orthopaedic Surgery
- Study coordinator: Malik J Scott, BA
- Email: mjscott1@uchicago.edu
- Phone: 773-834-0822
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How to take part
- Review the eligibility criteria above with your treating physician.
- Check the official listing on ClinicalTrials.gov for the latest contact details and recruitment status.
- Contact the study coordinator or principal investigator to ask for pre-screening. Pre-screening is free and never obligates you to enroll.