The Impact of Total Knee Arthroplasty Surgical Technique on Coronal Plane Motion and PatelloFemoral Articulation

How stable a total knee replacement is depends on the correct and precise rotation of the femoral component. Abnormal femoral component rotation has been associated with numerous adverse conditions including knee instability, knee pain, scar tissue, and abnormal knee motion. Controversy exists, however, regarding the most favorable surgical technique to determine accurate femoral component rotation. Some doctors prefer a measured resection technique in which landmarks on the femur bone are used to determine where to place the femoral component. Others recommend a gap-balancing technique in which the femoral component is positioned by balancing the ligaments of the knee and placing it in the position where each ligament is equally strained.

The purpose of this study is to examine the impact of the measured resection and gap-balancing surgical technique on how the total knee replacement moves and patient knee outcome scores. Knee outcome scores are assessed from the responses given by patients to questions about outcomes associated with total knee replacement related to pain, symptoms, activities of daily living, sport and recreational function, and knee-related quality of life.