Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this study was to analyze rotational kinematic patterns in knees treated with either cruciate-retaining (CR) or posterior-stabilized (PS) total knee arthroplasty (TKA), using an intra-operative navigation technique, and to clarify the factors that affect of the rotational kinematics and the difference rotational kinematics patterns between CR- and PS- TKA.
Methods
A total of 35 knees (35 patients) were included in this study, deformed valgus, sever flexion contractures, and highly unstable knees were excluded. These knees were allocated to CR (NexGen CR-Flex) or PS (NexGen PS-Flex) implants and underwent TKA with a computer navigation technique (precision N Knee Navigation Software v4.0; Stryker). There was no significant difference in pre-operative parameters between CR- and PS-TKA group: age, femorotibial angle (FTA), and chondylar twist angle (CTA).
We measured two points during surgery. First, the skin incision was made and subcutaneous tissue was exposed. The joint capsule was temporality closed by three or four strand suture. Second, after the surgery was completed with satisfactory alignment and soft tissue balance, immediately following wound closure the measurement procedure was repeated.
The surgeon gently applied a manual range of motion from full extension to flexion. The angle of internal rotation in tibia to the functional plane of tibia and femur was measured automatically at max extension, 0, 30, 45, 60, 90 degrees, and max flexion throughout the passive knee motion.
Result
We categorized the post-operative rotational kinematics patterns to five types. Type A was increasing with the internal rotation angle in tibia with knee flexion. Type B was decreasing the internal rotation with knee flexion. Type C was decreasing the internal rotation from 0 to 45 or 60 degrees, Then graduated increasing until full flexion. Type D was the opposite type of type C. Type E was not able to categorize any pattern. (Figure 1) The individual kinematic pattern was variable in pre- and post-operative knee motion. Both CR- and PS-TKA had a tendency to remain the preoperative kinematic pattern (CR-TKA 66% and PS-TKA 59%) by comparing the pre- and post-operative kinematic pattern. But, type A was increased in post-operative PS-TKA. (Figure 2) We analyzed factors (age, pre-operative FTA, CTA, pre-operative knee extension, and post-operative FTA) that affect the change of rotational kinematics patterns before and after TKA. In CR-TKR, there were not any factors that influence with the changes of kinematic pattern. In PS-TKR, pre-operative knee extension angle affected accompanied by significant difference in the change of rotational kinematics patterns.
Discussion & Conclusion
We analyzed the rotational kinematics patterns in knees treated with either CR- or PS-TKR, using an intra-operative navigation. Pre- and post-operative knee kinematics of TKA patients had a variety of rotational kinematics patterns. Both CR- and PS-TKA had a tendency to remain the preoperative kinematic pattern by comparing the pre- and post-operative kinematic pattern Pre-operative knee extension affected to the change of rotational kinematics pattern in PS-TKR.
