Flexion-extension gap balancing is recognized as an essential part of total knee arthroplasty (TKA). The gap is often evaluated using spacer blocks, laminar spreader, or tensor device. The evaluation of gap balancing with the patella in the reduced position is more physiological and reproducible than with patellofemoral (PF) joint everted. However, in the knee with a reduced PF joint, it is difficult to comprehend the anteroposterior position of the tibia to the femur. So, we developed a new tensor to lift up the tibia ahead and fix the anteroposterior position of the tibia to the femur with the PF joint reduced [Fig.1]. To investigate how accurate the extension and flexion gaps would be measured by comparing our new tensor with the conventional tensor which could not fix the position of the tibia to the femur.Background
Purpose