Importance of the lateral anatomic tibial slope as a guide to the tibial cut in total knee arthroplasty in Japanese patients.

Using three-dimensional computed tomography in 50 osteoarthritic knees, we simulated at various cutting angles the tibial cut for total knee arthroplasty. Cutting angles of 0 degrees, 3 degrees, 5 degrees, 7 degrees, 9 degrees, and 11 degrees were used. We then calculated the anterior and posterior thicknesses, the medial-lateral widths, and the medial and lateral condylar depths of the resected tibial bone at each cutting angle. Each set of measurements was evaluated according to a comparison between the cutting angle and the anatomic posterior slopes. The cutting angles showing the smallest anterior-posterior difference at the medial and lateral plateaus were 9 degrees and 7 degrees, respectively. The mean anatomic posterior slopes at the medial and lateral plateaus were 9.0 degrees and 8.1 degrees, respectively. When the tibia was cut at the cutting angle closest to the medial anatomical posterior slope in each knee, the thickness of the lateral posterior plateaus resected from 12 knees (24%) was more than 10 mm. Among these 12 knees, the cutting angle was more than 9 degrees in 9 knees (75%). In contrast, when the tibia was cut at the cutting angle closest to the lateral anatomical posterior slope, only one resected medial posterior plateau was more than 10 mm. The cutting angle of this case was 7 degrees. Therefore, in consideration of the thickness of bone resection from anatomic posterior slope, we demonstrated the importance of using the lateral anatomic posterior tibial slope as a guide to the tibial cut. There was no significant difference with respect to resected bone morphology at any cutting angle.

Ankle tuberculosis: a report of four cases in a Japanese hospital.

We report four patients suffering from ankle tuberculosis, which is an uncommon disease in Japan. All patients complained of swelling and pain in the affected ankle. Ankle tuberculosis is a disorder that can be easily misdiagnosed. The mean delay in diagnosis was 5.3 months in our series. All patients had already been diagnosed as having ankle tuberculosis by the time they visited our hospital in this series. The patients had been definitively diagnosed to have ankle tuberculosis by means of a needle biopsy in two cases, an open biopsy in one case, and on the basis of the clinical features in one case. All patients received antitubercular therapy and non-weight-bearing protective treatment. Antitubercular therapy was performed for an average of 14.3 months, and non-weight-bearing treatment was maintained for a mean of 4.5 months. The main treatments for such cases include open biopsy for an uncertain diagnosis, débridement for intractable synovitis, and arthrodesis for severely destroyed ankles with pain. All patients received some form of surgical intervention either from previous doctors or from us in this series. We conclude that most patients who suffer from ankle tuberculosis seem to need surgery in addition to adequate chemotherapy and non-weight-bearing protective treatment.