In normal structured knee joints, the correct implantation of a total knee prosthesis can be performed without difficulty. However, with altered bone geometry, instuments and particulary long stem prosthesis may be forced into undesired directions leading to incorrect positioning of the implant resulting in postoperative leg-axis deviations. The objective of this study was to measure the knee geometry in diseases indicating for total knee arthroplasty and predict problems via a virtual prosthesis implantation. In 100 patients with indications for total knee arthroplasty, the geometry of the distal femur, the proximal tibia and knee-axis-relations were measured on x-rays and digitalized. The geometry of the knees was then evaluated related to diagnosis and male / female patients. In the next step, on the computer, the virtual implantation of three different knee prosthesis-types for each knee was performed. As result, the total of 39700 measurements now provide orientational averages and values for arthritic and destructed knee joints. Significant differences could be shown in knee geometry between female and male joints, also on standardized length. The tibia geometry in valgus deformity differs significantly from tibia geometry in varus deformity as well. The fitting precision of different total knee prosthesis models varies. From that, suggestions for improving component design and component geometry are developed that may optimize the postoperative results in total knee arthroplasty.
«
In normal structured knee joints, the correct implantation of a total knee prosthesis can be performed without difficulty. However, with altered bone geometry, instuments and particulary long stem prosthesis may be forced into undesired directions leading to incorrect positioning of the implant resulting in postoperative leg-axis deviations. The objective of this study was to measure the knee geometry in diseases indicating for total knee arthroplasty and predict problems via a virtual prosthesi...
»