Die In-vivo-Biomechanik von unikondylären Knieprothesen in minimal-invasiver Technik

Postural Stability after Unicondylar Knee Arthroplasty and Patient-Specific Interpositional Knee Spacer

Purpose and Hypothesis. Knee osteoarthritis results, inter alia, in decreased postural stability. After arthroplasty, postural stability recovers, but it is unclear whether this can be ascribed to a reduction of pain or to the preserving of receptor-rich intraarticular soft tissue and natural knee kinematics. The objective of this study was to evaluate whether an unicondylar knee arthroplasty provides better results regarding postural stability or a patient-specific knee spacer. Methods. In this comparative study, we assessed functional results and postural stability 16 months after 20 unicondylar knee arthroplasties (group A) and 20 patient-specific interpositional knee device implantations (group B). Patients were evaluated using the KSS and WOMAC score. Postural stability was analysed during single leg stance on a force platform (Biodex Balance System). Results. Concerning postural stability, range of motion (ROM), and KSS 16 months after the procedure, there were no significant differences between both groups. Conclusion. Successful treatment of knee osteoarthritis restores postural stability to the level of the contralateral side, regardless of the implant device.

Improved kinematics of total knee replacement following partially navigated modified gap-balancing technique

PURPOSE

Navigation-based total knee arthroplasty (TKA) has proven its value for restoration of the limb axis. However, patient-orientated results after TKA show a wide variation from the correct implantation technique. Nonphysiological kinematics without posterior femoral rollback and tibial internal rotation in flexion could be one reason for this. We postulated that a modified gap-balancing technique with navigation of the tibia alone, in comparison to a conventional navigated technique, would: (1) obtain lateral femoral rollback, (2) alter condylar liftoff without midflexion instability, (3) significantly differ in femoral and tibial cuts, (4) not be inferior in leg-axis restoration and (5) be comparable in clinical short-term scores.

METHODS

In this prospective study, we compared in vivo navigation-based kinematics pre- and postoperatively of 40 consecutive TKA comprising 21 conventional navigation-based TKA and 19 TKA with the modified gap-balancing technique and a reduced navigation workflow. All cuts were double checked and compared with cuts proposed by the navigation system. Clinical results were assessed preoperatively and six months postoperatively.

RESULTS

The modified gap-balancing technique resulted in significantly increased lateral femoral rollback (mean 16.3 mm) and lateral condylar liftoff (mean 1.3 mm) compared to the conventional group. The modified technique comprised an average of 2.1 mm less distal femoral resection and an average of 4° less external rotation and 3.5° more flexion of the femoral component compared with the control group. Average tibial resection height was 1.1 mm greater and average tibial slope was 0.5° elevated compared to the control group. A neutral leg axis was achieved in all cases. Results showed no significant differences in clinical scores between groups.

CONCLUSION

A partial navigation solely of the tibial cut can securely restore the leg axis. Modification of the surgical technique can possibly reproduce more physiological knee kinematics with higher lateral femoral rollback in flexion without midflexion instability. This might help reduce postoperative problems with the new implant and thus reduce the amount of unsatisfactory results. Despite equal short-term results, mid- to long-term results are needed to prove whether or not this correlates with better clinical results and at least equal implant longevity.

Bi-unicondylar knee prosthesis functional assessment utilizing force-control wear testing

Recent in vivo studies have identified variations in knee prosthesis function depending on prosthesis geometry, kinematic conditions, and the absence/presence of soft-tissue constraints after knee replacement surgery. In particular, unicondylar knee replacements (UKR) are highly sensitive to such variations. However, rigorous descriptions of UKR function through experimental simulation studies, performed under physiological force-controlled conditions, are lacking. The current study evaluated the long-term functional performance of a widely used fixed-bearing unicompartmental knee replacement, mounted in a bi-unicondylar configuration (Bi-UKR), utilizing a force-controlled knee simulator during a simulated (ISO 14243) walking cycle. The wear behaviour, the femoral-tibial kinematics, and the incurred damage scars were analysed. The wear rates for the medial and the lateral compartments were 10.27 +/- 1.83 mg/million cycles and 4.49 +/- 0.53 mg/million cycles, respectively. Although constant-input force-controlled loading conditions were maintained throughout the simulation, femoral-tibial contact point kinematics decreased by 65 to 68 per cent for average anterior/posterior travel and by 58 to 74 per cent for average medial/lateral travel with increasing cycling time up to 2 million cycles. There were no significant differences in damage area or damage extent between the medial and the lateral compartments. Focal damage scars representing the working region of the femoral component on the articular surface extended over a range of 16-21 mm in the anterior-posterior direction. Kinematics on the shear plane showed slight variations with increasing cycling time, and the platform exhibited medial pivoting over the entire test. These measures provide valuable experimental insight into the effect of the prosthesis design on wear, kinematics, and working area. These functional assessments of Bi-UKR under force-controlled knee joint wear simulation show that accumulated changes in the UKR articular conformity manifested as altered kinematics both for anterior/posterior translations and internal/external rotations.

Sports after knee arthroplasty: partial versus total knee arthroplasty

Osteoarthritis becomes more prevalent with increasing age, and currently is occurring more frequently in the "baby boomer" generation (ages 44-66 years). However, many individuals may be reluctant to undergo arthroplasty procedures because potential activity limitations. Thus, physicians must consider each patient's history and desired activity level after treatment. Osteoarthritis treatments include nonoperative measures such as weight reduction, injections, and nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, as well as operative options, including partial and total knee arthroplasty. Each treatment type will vary in its impact on activity levels. If arthroplasty is required, patients must be cautioned to minimize component overload, which may result in polyethylene wear and loosening; however, cardiopulmonary fitness and general conditioning benefits of activity can be maintained.