Identifying knee osteoarthritis (OA) patient phenotypes is relevant to assessing treatment efficacy, yet biomechanical variability has not been applied to phenotyping. This study aimed to identify demographic and gait related groups (clusters) among total knee arthroplasty (TKA) candidates, and examine inter-cluster differences in gait feature improvement post-TKA.

Knee OA patients scheduled for TKA underwent three-dimensional gait analysis one-week pre and one-year post-TKA, capturing lower-limb external ground reaction forces and kinematics using a force platform and optoelectronic motion capture. Principal component analysis was applied to frontal and sagittal knee angle and moment waveforms (n=135 pre-TKA, n=106 post-TKA), resulting in a new uncorrelated dataset of subject PCscores and PC vectors, describing major modes of variability throughout one gait cycle (0–100%). Demographics (age, gender, body mass index (BMI), gait speed), and gait angle and moment PCscores were standardized and assessed for outliers. One patient exceeding Tukey's outer (3IQR) fence was removed. Two-dimensional multidimensional scaling followed by k-medoids clustering was applied to scaled demographics and pre-TKA PCscores [134×15]. Number of clusters (k=2:10) were assessed by silhouette coefficients, s, and stability by Adjusted Rand Indices (ARI) of 100 data subsets. Clusters were validated by examining inter-cluster differences at baseline, and inter-cluster gait changes (PostPCscore–PrePCscore, n=105) by k-way ANOVA and Tukey's honestly significant difference (HSD) criterion.

Four (k=4) TKA candidate groups yielded optimum clustering metrics (s = 0.4, ARI=0.75). Cluster 1 was all-males (male:female=19:0) who walked with faster gait speeds (1>2,3), larger flexion angle magnitudes and stance-phase angle range (PC1 & PC4 1>2,3,4), and more flexion (PC2 1>2,3,4) and adduction moment (PC2 & PC3 1>2,3) range patterns. Cluster 1 had the most dynamic kinematics and kinetic loading/unloading range amongst the clusters, representing a higher-functioning (less “stiff”) male subset. Cluster 2 captured older (2>1,3) males (31:1) with slower gait speeds (2 4), and lower flexion angle magnitude (PC1 3 2,3) and less stiff kinematic and kinetic patterns relative to Clusters 2 and 3, representing a higher-functioning female subset. Radiographic severity did not differ between clusters (Kellgren-Lawrence Grade, p=0.9, n=102), and after removing demographics and re-clustering, gender differences remained (p < 0 .04). Pre-TKA, higher-functioning clusters (1&4) had more dynamic loading/un-loading kinetic patterns. Post-TKA, high-functioning clusters experienced less gait improvement (flexion angle PC2, 1,4 < 3, p≥0.004, flexion moment PC2, 4 < 2,3), with some sagittal range patterns decreasing postoperatively.

TKA candidates can be characterized by four clusters, differing by demographics and biomechanical severity features. Post-TKA, functional gains were cluster-specific, stiff-gait clusters experienced more improvement, while higher-functioning clusters experienced less gain and showed some decline. Results suggest the presence of cohorts who may not benefit functionally from TKA. Cluster profiling may support triaging and developing targeted OA treatment strategies, meeting individual function needs.

Purpose

Identifying knee osteoarthritis patient phenotypes is relevant to assessing treatment efficacy. Biomechanics have not been applied to phenotyping, yet features may be related to total knee arthroplasty (TKA) outcomes, an inherently mechanical surgery. This study aimed to identify biomechanical phenotypes among TKA candidates based on demographic and gait mechanic similarities, and compare objective gait improvements between phenotypes post-TKA.

We report the survival, functional and radiological outcome of a series of Birmingham hip resurfacing procedures performed by a single surgeon at a district general hospital. The aim of this study was to retrospectively report the medium term outcome and survival of our patients.

There were 45 hip resurfacings performed in 38 patients between 2004 and 2010. Patients were followed for a mean duration of four years. Mean age of 52.6 years (range 26 to 65). Although no patients were lost to follow up, four did not complete the oxford hip scoring assessment.

The median Oxford hip score was 16.25 points (range 12–39 points, standard deviation 5.9) at 48 months follow up (range 11.5–84.2 months). The mean acetabular inclination was 46.9 (range 40.9–59.9) in the 45 hip resurfacings post operatively.

There was one patient with varus subsidence of the prosthesis and one patient with persistent hip pain post operatively under investigation currently. There was no definite radiological evidence of loosening or of narrowing of the femoral neck. No cases were revised and no cases developed any other complications.

These medium-term results from a district general hospital are comparable to the other studies performed. Few independent studies have reported the outcome of resurfacing arthroplasty of the hip in a district general hospital. Further evaluation and follow up of these patients is required to address the concerns raised by other centers related to fracture and metal debris.

Computer based navigation system improved the accuracy of limb and component alignment and decreased the incidence of outliers. The majority of previous studies were based on the infrared navigation system. We evaluate the availability and accuracy of the electromagnectic(EM) navigation system in total knee arthroplasty

From July 2006 to January 2007, 40 patients (50 TKAs) with osteoarthritis were participated in this study. AxiEM(Medtronics) was used and Nexgen CR(26 cases), and Nexgen CR flex(24 cases) were used. We analyzed the failure mode of navigation (7 cases), operation time and radiologic results (limb and component alignment)

Total registration time was 4 minutes 45 seconds in average (Range: 3 minutes 45 seconds – 6 minutes 55 seconds). Failures in clinical applications resulted from non-recognition of EM tracker or paddle by metallic interference in 4 cases and from informational changes during surgery by fixation loss or loosening of the tracker in 3 cases. Radiologically, the mechanical axis changed from −11.2±7.21 (Range: −25.8~3.1) to 1.0±1.25(Range: −2.1~4.0) and 1 case of outlier occurred (valgus 4°). Component alignment is measured as followed: 89.3±1.6° of Theta angle, 89.9±1.5° of Beta angle, 1.8±2.5° of Gamma angle, 86.1±2.9 of Delta angle°. There were no complications related to the EM navigation.

The EM navigation system helped to achieve accurate alignment of component and lower leg axis without any complications. It had several advantages such as relatively less invasiveness in fitting small instruments, not disturbing operation field, no interrupted line of sight, portable use, and applicability to any implant. However, metallic interference may be still problematic.

The EM navigation had advantages; less invasiveness, no disturbing operation field, no interrupted line of sight, portable use and applicability to any implants. But metallic interference may be still problematic.

Bilateral sequential total knee replacement with a Zimmer NexGen prosthesis (Zimmer, Warsaw, Indiana) was carried out in 30 patients. One knee was replaced using a robotic-assisted implantation (ROBOT side) and the other conventionally manual implantation (CON side). There were 30 women with a mean age of 67.8 years (50 to 80).

Pre-operative and post-operative scores were obtained for all patients using the Knee Society (KSS) and The Hospital for Special Surgery (HSS) systems. Full-length standing anteroposterior radiographs, including the femoral head and ankle, and lateral and skyline patellar views were taken pre- and post-operatively and were assessed for the mechanical axis and the position of the components. The mean follow-up was 2.3 years (2 to 3).

The operating and tourniquet times were longer in the ROBOT side (p < 0.001). There were no significant pre- or post-operative differences between the knee scores of the two groups (p = 0.288 and p = 0.429, respectively). Mean mechanical axes were not significantly different in the two groups (p = 0.815). However, there were more outliers in the CON side (8) than in the ROBOT side (1) (p = 0.013). In the coronal alignment of the femoral component, the CON side (8) had more outliers than the ROBOT side (1) (p = 0.013) and the CON side (3) also had more outliers than the ROBOT side (0) in the sagittal alignment of the femoral component (p = 0.043). In terms of outliers for coronal and sagittal tibial alignment, the CON side (1 and 4) had more outliers than the ROBOT side (0 and 2).

In this series robotic-assisted total knee replacement resulted in more accurate orientation and alignment of the components than that achieved by conventional total knee replacement.

Introduction: ROM after TKA can be influenced by multi-factors such as preoperative range of motion, body habitus, implant design, intraoperative surgical technique, and postoperative rehabilitation. Recently many implant manufacturers have made modifications to traditional total knee designs to improved maximal knee flexion and range of motion. Some posterior cruciate ligament (PCL) stabilized total knee prostheses that incorporate design features intended to improve knee kinematics in high flexion were introduced and the use of these prostheses has attracted attention. Recently in the cruciate retaining (CR) prosthesis, high-flexion knee (CR-Flex) and gender-specified prosthesis were designed to allow a greater and safer flexion after TKA. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of cruciate retaining typed different femoral component design on knee range of motion using a computerized navigation system.

Materials & method: 30 patients who underwent primary TKA because of primary osteoarthritis were included. EM navigation system was used in all cases. After tibia and femoral cutting using standard CR cutting block, standard fixed bearing CR knee (NexGen CR, Zimmer, Warsaw, IN) trial was inserted. If surgeon is satisfactory with alignment, stability and ligament balancing, the maximal knee extension and flexion was recorded using gravity by navigation system. Then, high-flexion fixed bearing CR knees(NexGen CR-Flex and Gender solution NexGen CR-Flex knee, Zimmer, Warsaw, IN) trial was inserted after additional posterior cutting. The maximal knee extension and flexion was evaluated exactly same way.

Results: Preoperative mean varus deformity was 10.52°. The mean flexion contracture was 7.52±6.81° and further flexion 129.9±7.94°. The average intraoperative maximal flexion of NexGen CR was 133.5±5.35° (125–146°) and that of hyper-flexion design were 135.5±5.77°(125–147°) in Nexgen CR-Flex and 136.1±5.76°(126–146°) in Gender knee. All knees showed greater than 125° of flexion regardless of the implant design. All knees can achieve physiologic leg alignment and nearly full extension of the knee after operation.

Conclusion: Hyper flexion designs showed subtle increase in mean maximal flexion and overall range of motion of the knee compared with the standard design, when it measured using navigation system intraoperatively. But clinically, it is not certain that these differences can lead to significant improvement of range of motion.

The study is to evaluate mid-term follow-up clinical results and navigation prediction of the first 106 TKAs, which was performed based on the soft tissue balancing technique using the OrthoPilot navigation system (B.Braun Aesculap, Tuttlingen, Germany).

All the 106 cases were diagnosed as osteoarthritis with varus deformity. After anatomical and kinematic registration, the mechanical axis was restored to neutral (±2°) at full extension with step by step meticulous medial soft tissue release and osteophyte removal. Proximal tibial bone cutting was performed under real-time navigation system control. Flexion and extension gaps were measured at full extension and at 90° of flexion using a tensioning device (V-STAT tensor, Zimmer) and a special torque wrench set at 50lb/inch before femoral bone cutting. The flexion and extension gap was evaluated and it’s difference was classified into 3 kinds; balanced, tight flexion gap and tight extension gap. Sixty-one (57.5%) knees were classified as having a ‘balanced gap’ (meaning that flexion and extension gaps were within 2 mm), 20 (18.9%) knees as having a ‘tight flexion gap’ (an extension gap at least 3mm more that the corresponding flexion gap), and 25 (23.6%) knees as having a ‘tight extension gap’ (a flexion gap at least 3mm more that the corresponding extension gap). Depending extension/flexion, and medial/lateral gap difference, the level of distal femoral cut and the rotation of femoral component was determined. Following the final bone cuts and completion of soft tissue release, assessment of the flexion and extension gap was repeated. Balanced flexion and extension gap (difference between flexion and extension gap ≤ 3mm) was confirmed in 99 cases (94%). A mobile bearing prosthesis (e motion FP, B.Braun Aesculap) was used.

One patient (bilateral TKAs) died of unrelated causes at postoperative 2 year. One knee was revised due to infection. One hundred three cases were followed up at least more than 4 years, 53 months in average. Overall survival rate is 97%. Average preoperative HHS scores and range of motion (ROM) were 65.4 points (range, 33~82) and 126.8 degrees (80~140). At the last follow-up, HHS score and ROM were 95.0 points (78~100) and 131.4 degrees (110~140). Statistically significant improvement in HHS score and ROM were observed (p< 0.05). The mean mechanical axis was 179.44±1.83° (175~184°) with 8 cases of outliers (more than ±3° of optimum). There was no radiolucency, osteolysis, subsidence, or loosening at the last follow-up.

In conclusion, navigation is an excellent predictor for achieving balanced soft tissue & flexion-extension gap in primary total knee arthroplasty. Navigated TKAs using soft tissue balancing technique showed excellent clinical results and is effective methods achieving accurate mechanical axis and reducing prosthetic alignment outlier.

Recently with the introduction of operations using various instrument of total ankle arthroplasty, we are showing quite satisfactory short term results on the treatment of resolved pain of ankle joint. However, there have been reports of high probability of complication from total ankle arthroplasty to other arthroplasty applied to other joints. Therefore in order to make the results of ankle arthroplasty superior, it is necessary to reduce these complications. We try to analyze complications that occur often and come up with the best results.

There were 45 cases of 42 patients of HINTEGRA^® (Newdeal SA, Lyon, France) model from November 2004 to August 2006. Follow up averaged 33.5 months, the average age of patients was 61.1 years, with 14 males and 28 females. We evaluated the complications and analyzed the causes of failures. There was a total 15 cases of complications; 5 cases of medical impingement syndrome, 3 cases of varus malposition, 2 cases of delayed healing of wound, 1 case of peroneal nerve problem, medial malleolar fracture, postoperative deep infection and gouty arthritis pain and Achilles tendinitis.

Our conclusion is that total ankle arthroplasty had more complication rate than other joint arthroplasty, so we need a more meticulous preoperative and perioperative care.