Advertisement for orthosearch.org.uk
Orthopaedic Proceedings Logo

Receive monthly Table of Contents alerts from Orthopaedic Proceedings

Comprehensive article alerts can be set up and managed through your account settings

View my account settings

Visit Orthopaedic Proceedings at:

Loading...

Loading...

Full Access

General Orthopaedics

INFLUENCE OF POSTERIOR CRUCIATE LIGAMENT RELEASE ON KNEE RANGE OF MOTION DURING TKA

The South African Orthopaedic Association (SAOA) 60th Annual Congress



Abstract

Background:

For the past four decades controversy surrounds the decision to retain or sacrifice the posterior cruciate ligament during a total knee arthroplasty. To our knowledge no study has been done to describe the effect of releasing the PCL on the range of motion of the knee.

Study design:

Case series

Methods:

Computer navigation data (Brainlab) was obtained intra-operatively from thirty patients at total knee arthroplasty. Coronal alignment, maximal passive knee extension and maximal passive flexion was captured before and after release of the PCL.

Results:

Releasing the posterior cruciate ligament led to an increase in maximal extension in all patients (av 3,6°) and a decrease in coronal deformity in 63%. The surprising finding was an increase in maximal knee flexion (av 5°, range 0 to 10°.) The increase in maximal flexion was statistically significant.

Conclusion:

Sacrificing the posterior cruciate ligament alters the kinematics of the knee and the resultant increase in knee flexion might explain why cruciate sacrificing total knee arthroplasty has superior flexion compared to cruciate retaining designs.