Anteroposterior stability in posterior cruciate ligament-retaining total knee arthroplasty.

Anteroposterior stability was evaluated using a KT-2000 arthrometer in 18 patients (21 knees) continuously for up to 5 years after posterior cruciate ligament-retaining total knee arthroplasty. The Knee Society score, functional score, and the maximum flexion angle did not change significantly during the postoperative period. The mean anteroposterior displacement of all joints studied at both 30 degrees and 75 degrees of flexion did not change significantly during the 5-year period of observation, but 4 individual knees did exhibit increases in anteroposterior displacement of 3 mm or more. One of the 4 knees exhibited osteolysis beneath the tibial component. Three of these knees had undergone high tibial osteotomy at some time before the total knee arthroplasty.

The oblique posterior femoral condylar radiographic view following total knee arthroplasty.

BACKGROUND: It is often difficult to evaluate the posterior aspects of the femoral condyles after total knee arthroplasty. We have developed an imaging technique involving the use of the oblique posterior condylar view for the evaluation of the posterior aspects of the femoral condyles. The purpose of the present study was to compare the efficacy of this view with that of the true-lateral view. METHODS: Three orthopaedic surgeons analyzed fifty-five sets of radiographs (consisting of oblique posterior condylar and true-lateral views) for patients who had undergone total knee arthroplasty. The accuracy and reproducibility of the oblique posterior condylar view for the detection of radiolucencies were compared with those of the true-lateral view. RESULTS: The oblique posterior condylar view was significantly better than the true-lateral view for the detection of radiolucencies of the posterior aspects of the femoral condyles (p < 0.0005). CONCLUSIONS: Radiographic analysis with use of the oblique posterior condylar view is technically easy and is accurate for the evaluation of radiolucencies of the posterior aspects of the femoral condyles after total knee arthroplasty.

Anatomical analysis of the femoral condyle in normal and osteoarthritic knees.

It is important to understand anatomical feature of the distal femoral condyle for treatment of osteoarthritic knees. Detailed measurement of the femoral condyle geometry, however, has not been available in osteoarthritic knees including valgus deformity. This study evaluated femoral condyle geometry in 30 normal knees, 30 osteoarthritic knees with varus deformity, and 30 osteoarthritic knees with valgus deformity using radiographs and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). In radiographic analysis in the coronal plane, the femoral joint angle (lateral angle between the femoral anatomic axis and a tangent to femoral condyles) was 83.3 degrees in the normal knees, 83.8 degrees in the varus knees, and 80.7 degrees in the valgus knees. In MRI analysis in the axial plane, the posterior condylar tangent showed 6.4 degrees of internal rotation relative to the transepicondylar axis in the normal knees, 6.1 degrees in the varus knees, and 11.5 degrees in the valgus knees. These results suggested that there was no hypoplasia of the medial condyle in the varus knees, but the lateral condyle in the valgus knees was severely distorted. Surgeons should take this deformity of the lateral femoral condyle into account when total knee arthroplasty is performed for a valgus knee.

Changes in anteroposterior stability following total knee arthroplasty.

This study evaluated the changes in anteroposterior stability at flexion and extension following posterior cruciate ligament (PCL)-retaining and PCL-substituting total knee arthroplasty (TKA), in comparison with normal knees. Altogether, 29 knees of 24 patients underwent either PCL-retaining ( n = 19) or PCL-substituting ( n = 10) TKA. Anteroposterior displacement was measured with a KT-2000 arthrometer preoperatively, 1 month after surgery, and again an average of 3 years after surgery. Anteroposterior stability at flexion and extension did not change following PCL-retaining TKA and was not significantly different from that of normal subjects, whereas anteroposterior stability increased following PCL-substituting TKA and was significantly greater than that of normal subjects an average of 3 years after surgery.