Introduction. Persistent patellofemoral (PF) pain is a common postoperative complication after total knee arthroplasty (TKA). In the USA, patella resurfacing is conducted in more than 80% of primary TKAs [1], and is, therefore, an important factor during surgery. Studies have revealed that the position of the patellar component is still controversially discussed [2–4]. However, only a limited number of studies address the biomechanical impact of patellar component malalignment on PF dynamics [2]. Hence, the purpose of our present study was to analyze the effect of patellar component positioning on PF dynamics by means of musculoskeletal multibody simulation in which a detailed knee joint model resembled the loading of an unconstrained cruciate-retaining (CR) total knee replacement (TKR) with dome patella button. Material and Methods. Our musculoskeletal multibody model simulation of a dynamic squat motion bases on the SimTK data set (male, 88 years, 66.7 kg) [5] and was implemented in the multibody dynamics software SIMPACK (V9.7, Dassault Systèmes Deutschland GmbH, Gilching, Germany). The model served as a reference for our parameter analyses on the impact on the patellar surfacing, as it resembles an unconstrained CR-TKR (P.F.C. Sigma, DePuy Synthes, Warsaw, IN) while offering the opportunity for experimental validation on the basis of instrumented implant components [5]. Relevant ligaments and muscle structures were considered within the model. Muscle forces were calculated using a variant of the computed muscle control algorithm. PF and tibiofemoral (TF) joints were modeled with six degrees of freedom by implementing a polygon-contact model, enabling roll-glide kinematics. Relative to the reference model, we analyzed six patellar component alignments: superior-inferior position, mediolateral position, patella spin, patella tilt, flexion-extension and thickness. The effect of each configuration was evaluated by taking the root-mean-square error (RMSE) of the PF contact force, patellar shift and patellar tilt with respect to the reference model along knee flexion angle. Results. The analysis showed that the PF contact force was mostly affected by patellar component thickness (RMSE=440 N) as well as superior-inferior (RMSE=199 N), and mediolateral (RMSE=98 N) positioning.. PF kinematics was mostly affected by mediolateral positioning, patellar component thickness, and superior-inferior positioning. Medialization of the patellar component reduced the peak PF contact force and caused a lateral patellar shift. Discussion. Based on our findings, we conclude that malalignment in mediolateral and superior-inferior direction, tilt and thickness of patellar resurfacing are the most important intraoperative parameters to affect PF dynamics. It could be shown that the translational positioning is more critical than rotational positioning regarding PF contact force. Reported findings are in good agreement with previous experimental and clinical studies [2–4]. Our data reveal that patellar component positioning has to be aligned precisely during total knee arthroplasty to prevent postoperative complications. For any figures or tables, please contact authors directly

Introduction. Total knee arthroplasty (TKA) designs evolve as evidence accumulates on natural and prosthetic knee function. TKA designs based upon a medially conforming tibiofemoral articulation seek to reproduce essential aspects of normal knee stability and have enjoyed good clinical success and high patient satisfaction for over two decades. Fluoroscopic kinematic studies on several medially conforming knee designs show extremely stable knee function, but very small ranges of tibial axial rotation compared to healthy knees. The GMK Sphere TKA is a recent evolution in medially-conforming TKA designs that adopts a sagittally unconstrained lateral tibiofemoral articulation to allow more natural tibial rotation. This study was conducted to quantify motions in knees with this prosthesis to address two questions:. Does the medially conforming GMK Sphere design provide an AP-stable articulation that provides for tibiofemoral translations that are comparable to, but not larger than, translations measured in natural knees?. Does the medially conforming GMK Sphere design provide sufficient rotatory laxity to allow tibiofemoral rotations comparable to, but not larger than, rotations measured in natural knees?. Materials and Methods. Fifteen patients (9 females), mean age 65 years and mean BMI of 30 ±3, consented to participate. Sixteen knees received the GMK Sphere TKA. Mean Oxford Knee Score (OKS) improved significantly from 19±7 to 40±3 six months post surgery (P< 0.0001). On the day of the study, the mean OKS, Knee Society Score, EQ5D and Heath status scores were 40, 87, 0.83 and 85 respectively. Mean ROM from active maximum extension till maximum supine flexion was 108°±8°. Motions in 16 knees were observed using pulsed-fluoroscopy during a range of activities. Subjects were observed in maximum flexion kneeling and lunging positions, and in stepping up/down on a 22cm step. Model-image registration methods were used to quantify three-dimensional knee motions from digitized fluoroscopic images. Results. Tibial internal rotation averaged 8° during lunge and kneeling activities. During lunging, the medial and lateral condyles were an average of 2mm and 8mm posterior to the tibial sulcus, respectively, and 2mm and 9mm posterior to the tibial sulcus during kneeling. During the stair-stepping activity, the medial condyle did not translate significantly, while the lateral condyle moved 5mm posteriorly with flexion, accompanying 5° tibial internal rotation. Discussion. The GMK Sphere TKA was designed to provide intrinsic stability through a medially conforming articulation, and provide for more natural tibial rotation with an unconstrained lateral articulation. Fluoroscopic observation of these knees during lunge, kneel and stair-stepping activities showed a stable medial articulation with little translation, and a lateral articulation translating in direct relation to tibial rotation. Tibial rotation during kneeling (8° average) was approximately twice that observed in knees with an earlier medially conforming TKA design (Moonot et al., Knee Surg Sports Traumatol Arthrosc, 2009) and similar to that observed in natural knees with medial osteoarthritis (Hamai et al., J Orthop Res, 2009). At only six months follow-up, knees with the GMK Sphere arthroplasty show functional kinematics that are AP stable and have more natural tibial rotation, consistent with the implant design intent

Total shoulder arthroplasty has been shown to be a very effective means of restoring function in all forms of arthritic shoulders. However, much as with any form of arthroplasty, problems and complications can and do occur. These include infection, nerve injury, anesthetic complications, peri-prosthetic fracture, instability and dislocation, nerve and vascular injury, loosening, loss of mobility, and contracture or stiffness, and implant related failures.

Careful pre-operative planning, intra-operative technical execution, and post-operative rehabilitation all designed to meet the needs and demands of the specific patient can help identify potential sources of complications pre-operatively and avoid them post-operatively. Understanding the specific complexities of the type of arthritis being addressed, the strengths and weaknesses, limitations and need for adjustments to the local anatomy can help the surgeon execute the total shoulder arthroplasty with minimal likelihood for post-operative complications. Awareness of patient's own flora and application of appropriate antibiotic prophylaxis can help identify patients at risk for infection.

Although it is impossible to fully eliminate the occurrence of complications, a majority can be avoided through attention to detail.

Analyzing shoulder kinematics is challenging as the shoulder is comprised of a complex group of multiple highly mobile joints. Unlike at the elbow or knee which has a primary flexion/extension axis, both primary shoulder joints (glenohumeral and scapulothoracic) have a large range of motion (ROM) in all three directions. As such, there are six degrees of freedom (DoF) in the shoulder joints (three translations and three rotations), and all these parameters need to be defined to fully describe shoulder motion. Despite the importance of glenohumeral and scapulothoracic coordination, it's the glenohumeral joint that is most studied in the shoulder. Additionally, the limited research on the scapulothoracic primarily focuses on planar motion such as abduction or flexion. However, more complex motions, such as internally rotating to the back, are rarely studied despite the importance for activities of daily living. A technique for analyzing shoulder kinematics which uses 4DCT has been developed and validated and will be used to conduct analysis. The objective of this study is to characterize glenohumeral and scapulothoracic motion during active internal rotation to the back, in a healthy young population, using a novel 4DCT approach. Eight male participants over 18 with a healthy shoulder ROM were recruited. For the dynamic scan, participants performed internal rotation to the back. For this motion, the hand starts on the abdomen and is moved around the torso up the back as far as possible, unconstrained to examine variability in motion pathway. Bone models were made from the dynamic scans and registered to neutral models, from a static scan, to calculate six DoF kinematics. The resultant kinematic pathways measured over the entire motion were used to calculate the ROM for each DoF. Results indicate that anterior tilting is the most important DoF of the scapula, the participants all followed similar paths with low variation. Conversely, it appears that protraction/retraction of the scapula is not as important for internally rotating to the back; not only was the ROM the lowest, but the pathways had the highest variation between participants. Regarding glenohumeral motion, internal rotation was by far the DoF with the highest ROM, but there was also high variation in the pathways. Summation of ROM values revealed an average glenohumeral to scapulothoracic ratio of 1.8:1, closely matching the common 2:1 ratio other studies have measured during abduction. Due to the unconstrained nature of the motion, the complex relationship between the glenohumeral and scapulothoracic joints leads to high variation in kinematic pathways. The shoulder has redundant degrees of freedom, the same end position can result from different joint angles and positions. Therefore, some individuals might rely more on scapular motion while others might utilize primarily humeral motion to achieve a specific movement. More analysis needs to be done to identify if any direct correlations can be drawn between scapulothoracic and glenohumeral DoF. Analyzing the kinematics of the glenohumeral and scapulothoracic joint throughout motion will further improve understanding of shoulder mechanics and future work plans to examine differences with age

Introduction. The interaction between the mobile components of total elbow replacements (TER) provides additional constraint to the elbow motion. Semi-constrained TER depend on a mechanical linkage to avoid dislocation and have greater constraint than unconstrained TER that rely primarily in soft tissue for joint stability. Greater constraint increases the load transfer to the implant interfaces and the stresses in the polyethylene components. Both of these phenomena are detrimental to the longevity of TER, as they may result in implant loosening and increased damage to the polyethylene components, respectively[1]. The objective of this work was to compare the constraint profile in varus-valgus and internal-external rotation and the polyethylene stresses under loads from a common daily activity between two semi-constrained TER, Coonrad/Morrey (Zimmer-Biomet) and Discovery® (DJO), and an unconstrained TER, TEMA (LimaCorporate). Methods. We developed finite element (FE) models of the three TER mechanisms. To reduce computational cost, we did not include the humeral and ulnar stems. Materials were linear-elastic for the metallic components (E. Ti6Al4V. =114.3 GPa, E. CoCr. =210 GPa, v=0.33) and linear elastic-plastic for the polyethylene components (E=618 MPa, v=0.46; S. Y. =22 MPa; S. U. =230.6 MPa; ε. U. =1.5 mm/mm). The models were meshed with linear tetrahedral elements of sizes 0.4–0.6 mm. We assumed a friction coefficient of 0.02 between metal and polyethylene. In all simulations, the ulnar component was fixed and the humeral component loaded. We computed the constraint profiles in full extension by simulating each mechanism from 8° varus to 8° valgus and from 8° internal to 8° external rotation. All other degrees-of-freedom except for flexion extension were unconstrained. Then, we identified the instant during feeding that generated the highest moments at the elbow[2], and we applied the joint forces and moments to each TER to evaluate the stresses in the polyethylene. To validate the FE results, we experimentally evaluated the constraint of the design with highest polyethylene stresses in pure internal-external rotation and compared the results against those from a FE model that reproduced the experimental setup (Fig.1-a). Results. For each design, the constraint profiles in varus-valgus (Fig.2-a) were similar to internal-external rotation (Fig.2-b). All designs showed a lax zone in which the mechanisms rotated freely and an engagement zone in which the mobile components contacted, resulting in load transfer. The laxity of the Coonrad/Morrey and the Discovery® was similar and lower than that of the TEMA. After engagement, the stiffness of the TEMA was less than that of the Discovery® and the Coonrad/Morrey. The TEMA showed the lowest polyethylene stresses of all three designs under demanding loads during feeding. Only Discovery® and Coonrad/Morrey had zones reaching permanent deformation (Fig.3). For the Coonrad/Morrey, with the highest polyethylene stresses, the experimental and computational constraint profiles were similar (Fig.1-b). Discussion. The TEMA unconstrained design transferred less moment than semi-constrained designs, reducing the burden on the implant interfaces. Moreover, the TEMA design had lower stresses in the polyethylene components due to the combination of less constraint and a lack of sharp edges on the articular surfaces. For any figures or tables, please contact the authors directly

The dual mobility hip incorporates a femoral head mated within a spherical polyethylene liner which also has an unconstrained outer articulation with a polished metal shell. An additional wear surface is introduced at the outer articulation, however, the mobility of the polyethylene insert does allow for femoral-neck/acetabular-insert impingement by allowing the insert to displace upon contact. We evaluated the wear performance of a dual mobility hip during abrasive and impingement conditions independently. Three abrasive conditions were evaluated; abraded acetabular cup, abraded femoral head, and both abraded cup and head. Two impingement conditions were evaluated; impingement of the unconstrained acetabular insert against the femoral neck, and acetabular-insert/femoral-neck impingement when the insert becomes immobilized at the outer articulation. Wear testing was conducted using a hip stimulator. The simulator applied physiologic loading with a maximum load of 2450 N and serum as the lubricant. Components were abraded at the pole according to a published method. Abraded samples were tested at 0° of inclination. The unconstrained impingement condition was created by adjusting the femoral neck angle to achieve impingement with 45° of acetabular inclination. Neck to liner impingement can occur at either the superior or inferior surface of the femoral neck, with subsequent impingement occurring randomly as the insert is allowed to re-align itself throughout testing. The fixed impingement conditions was created by locking the outer bearing through fixturing and inducing impingement as previously described. Dual mobility control components were tested at 0° and 50° of inclination. Inserts were sequentially crosslinked GUR 1020 polyethylene. Results are shown in Figure 1. Abrasion testing results correlated to a combination of friction at the abraded articulation and bearing size. Abrasion at only the inner bearing had a larger effect on wear when compared to abrasion of only the outer bearing. When both sides were damaged, femoral head abrasion led to an increase in friction and resistance to movement at the inner articulation, thereby forcing an increase in overall movement of the outer articulation. This increased the contact area subject to motion across a scratched metal surface, which increased the wear rate of the system. Unconstrained impingement samples impinged during the first cycle and then randomly throughout testing, while the fixed impingement samples had predictable impingement at the same location every cycle of testing. The unconstrained impingement model was designed to replicate an instance where the dual mobility hip would run in a near/intermittent impingement condition where the polyethylene insert displaces upon contact with the femoral neck. Unconstrained impingement wear rates were not statistically different than the ideally aligned control. The fixed impingement samples wore at a higher rate than the unconstrained impingement and control groups. The insert encountered resistance to movement upon impingement resulting in wear and deformation at the point of contact. Additional intended bearing wear was also generated by head sliding and translation of the load path upon impingement of the rim. Note that this condition is difficult to envision clinically and all wear rates, even under adverse conditions, were acceptably low

Introduction. Total ankle replacements (TAR) are a much debated alternative to ankle fusion for treatment of end stage arthritis. Compared with hip and knee replacements these are implanted in small numbers with less than 500 per year recorded by the joint registry for England and Wales. The small numbers are a likely result of typically low mid-term survival rates, as well as extensive contra-indications for surgery. There have been multiple generations of TARs consisting of both constrained and unconstrained designs but due to device classification pre-clinical testing has been minimal. Method. Five Zenith (Corin Group PLC), Titanium Nitride (TiN) coated, unconstrained TARs with conventional polyethylene inserts (Figure 1) were tested in an adapted knee simulator (Simulator Solutions, UK) for six million cycles (MC). The input parameters (Figure 2) were taken from available literature as there is no recognised ISO standard in place. A parametric study with three conditions was conducted to understand the impact of kinematic inputs on the polyethylene wear rate. These conditions aimed to understand the effect of both linear wear with isolated flexion, then multidirectional motion by implementing a rotational input with and without anterior/posterior (AP) displacement. Each condition was run for two MC. Stage One: Flexion and Load. Stage Two: Flexion, Load, Rotation and Displacement. Stage Three: Flexion, Load and Displacement. A lubricant of 25% bovine serum, 0.03% Sodium Azide solution was used to replicate the protein content of the natural joint capsule. The wear was measured gravimetrically every million cycles and surface measurements taken with a contacting profilometer. Results. The wear tests showed that under solely flexion and loading there was a low wear rate of 1.1±0.5 mm³/MC. With the addition of rotation and a 9mm AP displacement in Stage two the wear rate increased to 25.8±3.1 mm³/MC. When the displacement was removed in Stage three the wear rate decreased significantly to 15.2±2.5 mm³/MC (Figure 3). Discussion. Wear of the TAR was shown to vary significantly with kinematic input. As observed with other polymer total joint replacement articulations, unidirectional motion of the ankle yielded minimal wear of the Zenith TAR. Using an extreme anterior/posterior displacement motion from literature significantly increased the wear in combination with the rotation. After these wear stages the TiN tibials show obvious signs of wear in the region of polyethylene contact. The counter surface of the polyethylene insert showed both linear and radial scratches whereas as the curved surface of the insert and the talar component solely showed unidirectional wear lines. Conclusions. The design allows a large range of motion within the simulator. The wear rate presented by the Zenith TAR is similar to previous tests on unconstrained bearings and is highly dependent on the kinematic conditions

Cervical total disc replacement has been in practice for years now as a viable alternative to cervical fusion in suitable cases, aspiring to preserve spinal motion and prevent adjacent segment disease. Reports are rife that neck pain emerges as an annoying feature in the early postoperative period. The facet joint appears to be the most likely source of pain. 50 patients were prospectively followed up through 5 years after having received disc replacement surgery, indicated for symptomatic soft disc herniation of the cervical spine presenting with radiculopathy. • All were skeletally mature and aged between 22 to 50. • All had failed a minimum of 6 months conservative therapy. • Up to 2 disc levels were addressed. C3 till C7 levels. • Single surgeon (first author). • NDI > 30% (15/50). • Deteriorating radicular neurology. We excluded those with degenerative trophic changes of the cervical spine, focal instability, trauma, osteoporosis, previous cervical spine surgery, previous infection, ossifying axial skeletal disease and inflammatory spondyloarthritides. The device used was an unconstrained implant with stabilizing teeth. Over the 5 years, we studied their postoperative comfort level via the Neck Disability Index (NDI) and Visual Analogue Score (VAS). Pre-operative and post-operative analysis of the sagittal axis and of involved facet joints were done. 22 patients suffered postoperative neck pain as reflected by the NDI and VAS scores. Of these, 10 reported of neck pain even 24 months after surgery. However, none were neurologically worse and all patients returned to their pre-morbid functions and were relieved of pain by 28 months. All 22 patients reported of rapid dissolution of neckache after peri-facetal injections of steroids were done under image guidance. We draw attention to the facet joint as the pain generator, triggered by inappropriate implant height, eccentric stresses via hybrid constructs, eccentric loading due to unconstrained devices and unaddressed Luschka joint degeneration. Such factors require careful selection of patients for surgery, necessitate proper pre-operative templating and call for appropriate technical solutions during surgery

Abductor deficiency after THA can result from proximal femoral bone loss, trochanteric avulsion, muscle destruction associated with infection, pseudotumor, ALTR to metal debris, or other causes. Whiteside has described a transfer of the tensor muscle and anterior gluteus maximus to the greater trochanter for treatment of absent abductors after THA. Transposition of the tensor muscle requires raising an anterior soft tissue flap to the lever of the interval between the tensor muscle and sartorius, which is the same interval used in an anterior approach to the hip. The muscle is transected distally and transposed posteriorly to attach to the proximal femur. This can result in soft tissue redundancy between the posterior tensor muscle and anterior gluteus maximus. This interval is separated and the anterior gluteus maximis also attached to the proximal femur. Relatively large unconstrained (36 mm heads) were not found to be effective in controlling dislocation in patients with abductor deficiency. In our practice, 11 patients with abductor deficiency were treated with Whiteside's tensor muscle transfer and an unconstrained large diameter femoral head. The mean pre-operative abductor strength was 2.2 and improved to 3.2 post-operatively. One patient sustained a dislocation four weeks after surgery which was treated with open reduction. All of the other hips have remained stable. The combination of a large head and tensor muscle transposition may be a viable alternative to use of a fully constrained component in patients with deficient abductors after THA

Background. The anatomy of the human knee is very different than the tibiofemoral surface geometry of most modern total knee replacements (TKRs). Many TKRs are designed with simplified articulating surfaces that are mediolaterally symmetrical, resulting in non-natural patterns of motion of the knee joint [1]. Recent orthopaedic trends portray a shift away from basic tibiofemoral geometry towards designs which better replicate natural knee kinematics by adding constraint to the medial condyle and decreasing constraint on the lateral condyle [2]. A recent design concept has paired this theory with the concept of guided kinematic motion throughout the flexion range [3]. The purpose of this study was to validate the kinematic pattern of motion of the surface-guided knee concept through in vitro, mechanical testing. Methods. Prototypes of the surface-guided knee implant were manufactured using cobalt chromium alloy (femoral component) and ultra-high molecular weight polyethylene (tibial component). The prototypes were installed in a force-controlled knee wear simulator (AMTI, Watertown, MA) to assess kinematic behavior of the tibiofemoral articulation (Figure 1). Axial joint load and knee flexion experienced during lunging and squatting exercises were extracted from literature and used as the primary inputs for the test. Anteroposterior and internal-external rotation of the implant components were left unconstrained so as to be passively driven by the tibiofemoral surface geometry. One hundred cycles of each exercise were performed on the simulator at 0.33 Hz using diluted bovine calf serum as the articular surface lubricant. Component motion and reaction force outputs were collected from the knee simulator and compared against the kinematic targets of the design in order to validate the surface-guided knee concept. Results. Under deep flexion conditions of up to 140° of squatting the surface-guided knee implants were found to undergo a maximum of 22.2° of tibial internal rotation and 20.4 mm of posterior rollback on the lateral condyle. Pivoting of the knee joint was centered about the highly congruent medial condyle which experienced only 1.6 mm of posterior rollback. Experimental results were within 2° (internal-external rotation) and 1 mm (anteroposterior translation) agreement with the design target throughout the applied exercises (Figure 2). Conclusion. The results of this test confirm that by combining a constrained medial condyle with guiding geometry on the lateral condyle, deep knee flexion activities of up to 140° can be performed while maintaining near-natural kinematics of the knee joint. The authors believe that the tested surface-guided implant concept is a significant step toward the development of novel TKR which allows a greater range of motion and could improve the quality of life for active patients undergoing knee replacement. For any figures or tables, please contact the authors directly

INTRODUCTION. Proper ligament engagement is an important topic of discussion for total knee arthroplasty; however, its importance to total ankle arthroplasty (TAA) is uncertain. Ligaments are often lengthened or repaired in order to achieve balance in TAA without an understanding of changes in clinical outcomes. Unconstrained designs increase ankle laxity,. 1. but little is known about ligament changes with constrained designs or throughout functional activity. To better understand the importance of ligament engagement, we first investigated the changes in distance between ligament insertions throughout stance with different TAA designs. We hypothesize that the distance between ligaments spanning the ankle joint would increase in specimens following TAA throughout stance. METHODS. A validated method of measuring individual bone kinematics was performed on pilot specimens pre- and post-TAA using a six-degree-of-freedom robotic simulator with extrinsic muscle actuators and motion capture cameras (Figure 1). 2. Reflective markers attached to surgical pins and radiopaque beads were rigidly fixed to the tibia, fibula, talus, calcaneus, and navicular for each specimen. TAAs were performed by a fellowship-trained foot and ankle surgeon on two specimens with separate designs implanted (Cadence & Salto Talaris; Integra LifeSciences; Plainsboro, NJ). Each specimen was CT-scanned after robotic simulations of stance pre- and post-TAA. Specimens were then dissected before a 3D-coordinate measuring device was used to digitize the ligament insertions and beads. Ligament insertions were registered onto the bone geometries within CT images using the digitized beads. Individual bone kinematics measured from motion capture were then used to record the point-to-point distance between centers of the ligament insertions throughout stance. RESULTS. Results from the pilot specimens are presented for the calcaneofibular ligament (CFL) only. The distance between the CFL insertions was larger throughout stance following Cadence implantation (Figure 2A) and was decreased throughout most of stance following Salto Talaris implantation (Figure 2B). The percent change in CFL distance with respect to static standing was also increased with the Cadence implant (Figure 2C) and similar to intact following Salto Talaris implantation (Figure 2D). Ankle motion was similar to intact with the Cadence (Figure 3A) and was decreased with the Salto Talaris (Figure 3B). DISCUSSION. This study suggests that ligament length during stance changes following TAA. The Cadence implant similarly replicated ankle kinematics but CFL length was increased throughout stance which supports our hypothesis. In contrast, the Salto Talaris implant reduced ankle motion and decreased the CFL length. Although the slack length and pre-strain of the CFL were unknown, the distance between insertions from the pilot specimens provides preliminary insight into how ligament mechanics change post-TAA during functional activity. CLINICAL RELEVANCE. Preliminary results of ligament length changes throughout stance may indicate that ligament mechanics change post-TAA and could affect patient outcomes. Changes may be even more pronounced when a soft tissue release or reconstruction is performed to correct malalignment. For any figures or tables, please contact the authors directly

Introduction. Ligament reconstruction following knee soft tissue injuries, such as posterior cruciate ligament (PCL) tears, aim to restore normal joint function and motion; however, persistant pathomechanical joint behavior indicates that there is room for improvement in current reconstruction techniques. Increased attention is being directed towards the roles of secondary knee stabilizers, in an attempt to better understand their contributions to kinematics of knees. The objective of this study is to characterize the relative biomechanical contributions of the posterior oblique ligament (POL) and the deep medial collateral ligament (dMCL) in PCL-deficient knees. We hypothesized that, compared with the POL, the dMCL would have a more substantial role in stabilizing the medial side of the knee, especially in flexion (slack POL). Methods. Seven fresh-frozen cadaveric knees were used in this study (age 40–62, 4 female, 3). Specimens were potted and mounted onto a VIVO joint motion simulator (AMTI). Once installed, specimens were flexed from 0 to 90 degrees with a 10 N axial load and all remaining degrees of freedom unconstrained. This was repeated with (a) a 67 N posterior load, (b) a 2.5 Nm internal or external rotational moment and (c) a 50 N posterior load and 2.5 Nm internal rotational moment applied to the tibia. During each resulting knee motion, the relative AP kinematics of the dMCL tibial insertion (approximated as the most medial point of the proximal tibia) with respect to the flexion axis of the femur (the geometric center axis, based on the posterior femoral condyles) were calculated at 0, 30, 60 and 90 degrees of flexion. These motions were repeated following dissection of the PCL and then further dissection of either medial ligament (4 POL, 3 dMCL). The changes in AP kinematics due to ligament dissection were analyzed using three-way repeated-measures ANOVA with a significance value of 0.05. Results. Dissection of the dMCL or POL did not result in a statistically significant increase in the posterior displacement of the medial tibial point under posterior directed force, internal rotation moments, or the combined posterior force plus internal rotation moment. Interestingly, under external moment loading, there was a statistically significant increase in anterior displacement of the medial tibia at all flexion angles after POL dissection, by up to 3.0+/−2.6 mm at 0 degrees. Dissection of the dMCL, however, did not have a significant affect. Conclusion. Our results showed that neither the POL nor dMCL play a significant role in resisting posterior tibial displacements on the medial side of a PCL deficient knee. Of the two, the POL appears to have a greater contribution towards preventing anterior translations, particularly when in extension. This finding is rational based on the anatomical path of this ligament wrapping around the femoral medial condyle under external rotational moments. In contrast with our hypothesis, it was observed that the dMCL had less of an effect on medial knee stability. Contributions of these ligaments could be further investigated using more complicated loading, such as those more representative of activities of daily living

INTRODUCTION. Mechanical properties mapping based on CT-attenuation is the basis of finite element (FE) modeling with heterogeneous materials and bone geometry defined from clinical-resolution CT scans. Accuracy between empirical and computational models that use constitutive equations relating CT-attenuation to bone density are well described, but material mapping strategy has not gained similar attention. As such, the objective of this study was to determine variations in the apparent modulus of trabecular bone cores mapped with various material mapping strategies, using a validated density-modulus relationship and co-registered µFEMs as the gold standard. METHODS. Micro-CT images (isotropic 32 µm) were used to create µFEMs from glenoid trabecular bone cores of 14 cadaveric scapula. Each µFEM was loaded in unconstrained compression to determine the trabecular core apparent modulus (E. app. ). Quantitative CT (QCT) images (isotropic 0.625 mm) were subsequently acquired and co-registered QCT-FEMs created for each of the 14 cores. The QCT-FEMs were meshed with either linear hexahedral (HEX8), linear tetrahedral (TET4), or quadratic tetrahedral (TET10) elements at 3 mesh densities (0.3125 mm, 0.46875 mm, 0.625 mm). Three material mapping strategies were used to apply heterogeneous element-wise (element-averaging of the native HU field (Mimics V.20, Materialise, Leuven BE)) or nodal (tri-linear interpolation of HU Field or E Field (Matlab V. R2017a, Natick, RI, USA)) material properties to the QCT FEMs. Identical boundary conditions were used and E. app. between the µFEMs and QCT-FEMs was compared (Figure 1). The QCT density of each hexahedral mesh with element size equal to voxel dimensions was used to compare the QCT density mapping between tetrahedral meshes and material mapping strategy. RESULTS. For tetrahedral meshes the mean QCT density error was 2.4±2.7%, 4.3±4.4%, and 1.6±2.5%, for tetrahedral mesh densities of 0.3125, 0.46875, and 0.625 mm, respectively. Nodal material mapping differs by TET4 and TET10 and therefore for tri-linear interpolation the QCT density error was 0.4±1.6%, 3.5±3.3%, and 2.0±2.2%, for TET4 mesh densities of 0.3125, 0.46875, and 0.625 mm, respectively. The errors were −0.6±1.4%, 2.0±1.4%, 0.2±1.9% for TET10 mesh densities of 0.3125, 0.46875, and 0.625 mm, respectively. Percentage errors in E. app. as a function of bone volume fraction (BV/TV) by material mapping strategy were lowest for HEX8 QCT-FEMs mapped with element-based HU (MIMICS). This was also the best mapping strategy for both TET4 and TET10 QCT-FEMs. The node-based material mapping using the HU field was best for TET4 QCT-FEMs with 0.625 mm elements. The node-based E field mapping had the lowest errors for TET10 QCT-FEMs but had greater errors than the other two mapping strategies for all element types (Figure 2). DISCUSSION. This study compared material mapping strategy, element type, and element density in QCT-FEMs compared to co-registered µFEMs. It was found that QCT-FEMs with hexahedral elements most closely match µFEMs when element averaging of the native HU field is used. This mapping strategy also showed relatively lower errors with linear and quadratic tetrahedral elements compared to node-based material mapping strategies. If modeling parameters are carefully considered when developing QCT-FEMs, models have the potential to accurately replicate micro-level trabecular bone apparent properties. For any figures or tables, please contact the authors directly

Introduction. In total knee arthroplasty (TKA) the knee may be found to be too stiff in extension, causing a flexion contracture. One proposed surgical technique to correct this extension deficit is to recut the distal femur, but that may lead to excessively raising the joint line. Alternatively, full extension may be gained by stripping the posterior capsule from its femoral attachment, however if this release has an adverse impact on anterior-posterior (AP) stability of the implanted knee then it may be advisable to avoid this technique. The aim of the study was therefore to investigate the effect of posterior capsular release on AP stability in TKA, and compare this to the restraint from the cruciate ligaments and different TKA inserts. Methods. Eight cadaveric knees were mounted in a six degree of freedom testing rig (Fig.1) and tested at 0°, 30°, 60° and 90° flexion with ±150 N AP force, with and without a 710 N axial compressive load. The rig allowed an AP drawer to be applied to the tibia at a fixed angle of flexion, whilst the other degrees-of-freedom were unconstrained and free to translate/ rotate. After the native knee was tested with and without the anterior cruciate ligament (ACL), a cruciate-retaining TKA (Legion; Smith & Nephew) was implanted and the tests repeated. The following stages were then performed: replacing with a deep dished insert, cutting the posterior cruciate ligament (PCL), releasing the posterior capsule using an osteotome (Fig. 2), replacing with a posterior-stabilised implant and finally using a more-constrained insert. Results. In anterior drawer, only cutting the ACL caused a large increase in laxity compared to the native state (8 mm average across all flexion angles). At 0°, releasing the posterior capsule increased the laxity by 1.4 mm compared with cutting the PCL (p < 0.05), with no significance found at any other flexion angles. In posterior drawer with no compressive load, cutting the PCL significantly increased laxity at 30°, 60° and 90° (average 7 mm), however additional release of the posterior capsule only increased laxity by 1.5 mm and 0.8 mm at 0° and 30° respectively. At 30°, 60° and 90°, posterior stability was significantly restored by introducing a posterior-stabilised or more-constrained insert. When a 710 N compressive load was applied. Conclusions. The most important finding of the study was that releasing the posterior capsule did not cause a clinically large difference in AP laxity in context with cutting the PCL. Therefore, releasing the posterior capsule to restore extension during TKA surgery could be considered a biomechanically safe option. In cases of posterior instability due to PCL and capsular damage, a posterior-stabilised insert can restore stability, particularly in mid to late flexion. Future studies could compare this data to isolated implant constraints, to help investigate how much stability is provided by the different implant geometries compared to the PCL and posterior capsule

Introduction. Pre-clinical assessment of total knee replacements (TKR) can provide useful information about the constraint provided by an implant, and therefore help the surgeon decide the most appropriate configurations. For example, increasing the posterior tibial slope is believed to delay impingement in deep flexion and thus increase the maximal flexion angle of the knee, however it is unclear what effect this has on anterior-posterior (AP) constraint. The current ASTM standard (F1223) for determining constraint gives little guidance on important factors such as medial- lateral (M:L) loading distribution, flexion angle or coupled secondary motions. Therefore, the aim of the study was to assess the sensitivity of the ASTM standard to these variations, and investigate how increasing the posterior tibial slope affects TKR constraint. Methods. Using a six degree of freedom testing rig, a cruciate-retaining TKR (Legion; Smith & Nephew) was tested for AP translational constraint. In both anterior and posterior directions, the tibial component was displaced until a ‘dislocation limit’ was reached (fig. 1), the point at which the force-displacement graph started to plateau (fig. 2). Compressive joint loads from 710 to 2000 N, and a range of medial-lateral (M:L) load distributions, from 70:30% to 30:70% M:L, were applied at different flexion angles with secondary motions unconstrained. The posterior slope of the tibial component was varied at 0°, 3°, 6° and 9°. Results. AP translation was significantly larger at 60° and 90° flexion (22 ± 1 mm and 24 ± 1 mm respectively) than at 0° (14 ± 1 mm), whilst increasing the compressive joint load increased the force required to translate the tibia to limits of AP constraint at all flexion angles tested. When the M:L load distribution was shifted medially, a coupled internal rotation was observed with anterior translation and external rotation with posterior translation; this was reversed with a lateral shift in load distribution. It was also found that increasing the posterior slope of the tibial tray moved the neutral position of the tibia relative to the femur more anteriorly at all flexion angles tested. The constraint under anterior drawer was then reduced with increasing slope, which meant that the tray dislocated at lower drawer force and translations. Conclusions. When intraoperative tibial bone cuts are made, surgeons should be aware that by increasing posterior slope angles the TKR may offer less anterior constraint under body-weight loads, therefore relying more heavily on surrounding soft-tissue and muscle action to prevent dislocation. The ASTM test protocol could be refined to stipulate the variation of the M:L loading distribution. It has been shown to vary between patients and activities, and the AP constraint and associated secondary motions in this study were very sensitive to this distribution. The secondary motions observed should be measured and recorded to provide more information about the device's stability characteristics. The tests could also be extended to include a higher axial load such as 2000 N, approximately three times body weight, in order to investigate coupled rotations and M:L distribution effects whilst under normal walking gait loads

Management of a knee with valgus deformities has always been considered a major challenge. Total knee arthroplasty requires not only correction of this deformity but also meticulous soft tissue balancing and achievement of a balanced rectangular gap. Bony deformities such as hypoplastic lateral condyle, tibial bone loss, and malaligned/malpositioned patella also need to be addressed. In addition, external rotation of the tibia and adaptive metaphyseal remodeling offers a challenge in obtaining the correct rotational alignment of the components. Various techniques for soft tissue balancing have been described in the literature and use of different implant options reported. These options include use of cruciate retaining, sacrificing, substituting and constrained implants. Purpose. This presentation describes options to correct a severe valgus deformity (severe being defined as a femorotibial angle of greater than 15 degrees) and their long term results. Methods. 34 women (50 knees) and 19 men (28 knees) aged 39 to 84 (mean 74) years with severe valgus knees underwent primary TKA by a senior surgeon. A valgus knee was defined as one having a preoperative valgus alignment greater than 15 degrees on a standing anteroposterior radiograph. The authors recommend a medial approach to correct the deformity, a minimal medial release and a distal femoral valgus resection of angle of 3 degrees. We recommend a sequential release of the lateral structures starting anteriorly from the attachment of ITB to the Gerdy's tubercle and going all the way back to the posterolaetral corner and capsule. Correctability of the deformity is checked sequentially after each release. After adequate posterolateral release, if the tibial tubercle could be rotated past the mid-coronal plate medially in both flexion and extension, it indicated appropriate soft tissue release and balance. Fine tuning in terms of final piecrusting of the ITB and or popliteus was carried out after using the trial components. Valgus secondary to an extra-articular deformity was treated using the criteria of Wen et al. In our study the majority of severe valgus knees (86%) could be treated by using unconstrained (CR, PS) knee options reserving the constrained knee / rotating hinge options only in cases of posterolateral instability secondary to an inadequate large release or in situations with very lax or incompetent MCL. Results. The average follow up was 10 years (range 8 to 14 years). The average HSS knee scores improved from 48 points preoperatively (range 32 to 68 points) to 91 points (range 78 to 95 points) postoperatively. The average postoperative range of motion measured with a goniometer was 110 degrees (range 80 to 135 degrees) which was a significant improvement over the preoperative levels (average 65 degrees). None of the patients were clinically unstable in the medioloateral or anteroposterior plane at the time of final follow up. The average preoperative valgus tibiofemoral alignment was 19.6 degrees (range 15 degrees to 45 degrees). Postoperatively the average tibio-femoral alignment was 5 degrees (range 2 degrees to 7 degrees) of valgus. No patient in the study was revised. Conclusion. Adequate lateral soft tissue release is the key to successful TKA in valgus knees. The choice of implant depends on the severity of the valgus deformity and the extent of soft tissue release needed to obtain a stable knee with balanced flexion and extension gaps. The most minimal constraint needed to achieve stability and balance was used in this study. In our experience the long term results of TKR on severe valgus deformities using minimal constrained knee have been good

Introduction. Total knee arthroplasty (TKA) is the second most common and successful joint replacement in orthopedics. Due to long-term results the problem of aseptic loosening, implant failure and hypersensitivity to metal ions remain. Therefore the introduction of a new TKA with ceramic tibial and femoral components is introduced. Methods. It is the aim of this prospective study to compare a full delta ceramic unconstrained TKA with its conventional counterpart (Brehm BPK-S). Each group includes 40 patients without demopgraphic differenve. All TKAs are cemented with the same surgical technique using a rotating polyethylene insert. Clinical and radiological evaluation were performed preoperatively, and 3, 12 and 24 months postoperatively using the oxford knee score, the KSS, the VAS and the EQ-5d. Results. The mean prroperative knee scores improved significantly in both groups without difference. The VAS increased from 53,4 points to 73,9 in the ceramic group and from 53,8 to 81,0 in the conventional (n.s. p=0,14) and the EQ-5d. The oxford knee score increased from 38,6 points to 21,9 in the ceramic group and from 37,6 to 20,0 in the conventional (n.s.). There were no radiolucent lines for the femur or tibia, no infections and no revisions or implant associated complications with a 12 month survival rate of 100%. Discussion. The observed clinical and radiological results are promising for the future of cermic tibial and femoral components in TKA. The ceramic components can be a solution for patients with metal ion hypersensitivity, because this is the first TKA completely metal free. Long-term results will show a possible superority of ceramic implants concerning wear, loosening and survivorship. Based on this it might also be a reliable alternative for osteoarthiritic knee joints

Treatment of recurrent dislocation: approximately: 1/3 of failures (probably higher in the absence of a clear curable cause). In the US: most popular treatment option: constrained liners with high redislocation and loosening rates in most reports. Several interfaces leading to various modes of failures. In Europe: dual mobility cups (or tripolar unconstrained): first design Gilles Bousquet 1976 (Saint Etienne, France), consisting of a metal shell with a highly polished inner surface articulating with a mobile polyethylene insert (large articulation). The femoral head is captured into the polyethylene (small articulation) using a snap fit type mechanism leading to a large effective unconstrained head inside the metal cup. With dual mobility, most of the movements occur in the small articulation therefore limiting wear from the large polyethylene on metal articulation. Contemporary designs include: CoCr metal cup for improved friction, outer shell coated with titanium and hydroxyapatite, possible use of screws to enhance primary stability (revision), cemented version in case of major bone defect requiring bone reconstruction. Increased stability obtained through an ultra-large diameter effective femoral head increasing the jumping distance. Dual mobility in revision for recurrent dislocation provided hip stability in more than 94% of the cases with less than 3% presenting redislocation up to 13-year follow-up. A series from the UK concerning 115 revisions including 29 revisions for recurrent dislocation reported 2% dislocation in the global series and 7% re-dislocation in patients revised for instability. A recent report of the Swedish hip arthroplasty register including 228 patients revised for recurrent dislocation showed 99% survival with revision for dislocation as the endpoint and 93% with revision for any reason as the endpoint. One specific complication of dual mobility sockets: intra-prosthetic dislocation (ie: dislocation at the small articulation): often asymptomatic or slight discomfort, eccentration of the neck on AP radiograph, related to wear and fatigue of the polyethylene rim at the capturing are through aggressive stem neck to mobile polyethylene insert contact (3rd articulation). Risk factors include: large and aggressive femoral neck design implants, small head/neck ratio, skirted heads, major fibrosis and periprosthetic ossifications. Current (over ?) use in France: 30% of primary THA, 60% in revision THA. Proposed (reasonable) indications: primary THA at high risk for dislocation, revision THA for instability and/or in case of abductors deficiency, Undisputed indication: recurrent dislocation

Total knee arthroplasty (TKA) is widely accepted as a successful treatment option for the pain and limitation of function associated with severe joint disease. The ideal knee arthroplasty implant should provide reliable pain relief and normal levels of functional strength and range of motion. However, there are still a number of implant-specific problems following knee arthroplasty, such as irregular kinematics, polyethylene wear and poor range of motion. MRI and cadaveric studies have highlighted important kinematics during movement of the native knee. In particular, flexion of the joint results in a phenomenon referred to as “roll back and slide”. This essentially describes posterior translation of the femur on the tibia which in turn has a two-fold biomechanical function: to increase the lever arm of the quadriceps and allow clearance of the femur from the tibia in deep flexion. During extension of the joint, the femur rolls forward increasing the lever arm of the hamstrings to act as a brake on hyperextension. Additional rotation of the joint arises in the axial plane. This is attributed to the concave tibial plateau and relatively fixed meniscus on the medial compartment of the joint in comparison to a lateral convex plateau with a mobile meniscus. This asymmetry allows axial rotation of the lateral compartment over the medial compartment by up to 30 degrees. Subsequently, from extension to full flexion the tibia rotates internally on the femur and vice versa. The external rotation of the tibia on the femur that occurs during the terminal degrees of knee extension is often referred to as the “screw home mechanism” and results in tightening of both the cruciate ligaments locking the knee such that the tibia is in a position of maximum stability on the femur. Numerous studies over the past two decades have characterised the in-vivo motions of knee replacements. Major conclusions from these studies are that the motion after knee arthroplasty generally does not replicate normal knee motions. In particular, many kinematic studies of unconstrained devices have demonstrated the femur sliding forwards rather than backwards with flexion. This paradoxical movement is also seen in many posterior cruciate retaining knees. This in turn has a negative outcome in range of movement, particularly in light of fluoroscopic studies highlighting strong positive correlations in weight-bearing flexion with femoral roll back. In contrast knee arthroplasties that retain both cruciate ligaments come closest to replicating normal knee motion and furthermore, provide greater stair climbing stability. It may therefore be presumed that this excessive AP motion in a well-designed prosthesis is attributed to a loss in the natural intrinsic stabilizing structures. A number of studies to date have also highlighted close correlation between knee kinematics and functional strength. Generally, patients with knee replacement exhibit a significant loss of strength compared to normal. The common experimental findings is that knees with the highest intrinsic stability, whether provided by retained ligaments, conforming articular surfaces or post-cam substitution, exhibit the greatest functional strength in high-demand activities in TKA patients. On the basis of this knowledge, it would be intuitive to choose a TKA design that attempts to restore natural knee joint stability. The medially conforming ‘ball and socket’ articulation of the medial tibio-femoral compartment is a design concept thought to provide stability through the complete arc of knee flexion. Clinical and biomechanical data from a number of centers suggests that this has been a successful evolution in TKA that will continue to benefit patients

Wrist motion is achieved primarily via rotation at the radiocarpal and midcarpal joints. The contribution of each carpal bone to total range of motion has been previously investigated, although there is no consensus regarding the influence of each structure to global wrist motion. The objective of this comprehensive in-vitro biomechanical study was to determine the kinematics of the capitate, scaphoid and lunate during unconstrained simulated wrist flexion-extension. In addition, this study examined the effect of motion direction (i.e. flexion or extension) on the kinematics and contribution of the carpal bones. Seven fresh frozen cadaveric upper limb specimens (age: 67±18 yrs) were amputated mid-humerus, and the wrist flexors/extensors were exposed and sutured at their musculotendinous junctions. Each specimen was mounted on a wrist motion simulator in neutral forearm rotation with the elbow at 90° flexion. Passive flexion and extension motion of the wrist was simulated by moving a K-wire, inserted into the third metacarpal, through the flexion/extension motion arc at a speed of ∼5 mm/sec under muscle tone loads of 10N. Carpal kinematics were captured using optical tracking of bone fixated markers. Kinematic data was analysed from ±35° flexion/extension. Scaphoid and lunate motion differed between wrist flexion and extension, but correlated linearly (R‸2=0.99,0.97) with capitate motion. In wrist extension, the scaphoid (p=0.03) and lunate (p=0.01) extended 83±19% & 37±18% respectively relative to the capitate. In wrist flexion, the scaphoid (p=1.0) and lunate (p=0.01) flexed 95±20% and 70±12% respectively relative to the capitate. The ratio of carpal rotation to global wrist rotation decreased as the wrist moved from flexion to extension. The lunate rotates on average 46±25% less than the capitate and 35±31% less than the scaphoid during global wrist motion (p=0.01). The scaphoid rotates on average 11±19% less than the capitate during wrist flexion and extension (p=0.07). There was no difference in the contribution of carpal bone motion to global wrist motion during flexion (p=0.26) or extension (p=0.78). The capitate, lunate and scaphoid move synergistically throughout planar motions of the wrist. Our study found that both the scaphoid and lunate contributed at a greater degree during wrist flexion compared to extension, suggesting that the radiocarpal joint plays a more critical role in wrist flexion. Our results agree with previous studies demonstrating that the scaphoid and lunate do not contribute equally to wrist motion and do not function as a single unit during planar wrist motion. The large magnitude of differential rotation observed between the scaphoid and lunate may be responsible for the high incidence of scapholunate ligament injuries relative to other intercarpal ligaments. An understanding of normal carpal kinematics may assist in developing more durable wrist arthroplasty designs