Objectives. The development of tibiofemoral angle in children has shown ethnic variations. However this data is unavailable for our population. Methods. We measured the tibiofemoral angle (TFA) and intercondylar and intermalleolar distances in 360 children aged between two and 18 years, dividing them into six interrupted age group intervals: two to three years; five to six years; eight to nine years; 11 to 12 years; 14 to 15Â years; and 17 to 18 years. Each age group comprised 30 boys and 30 girls. Other variables recorded included standing height, sitting height, weight, thigh length, leg length and length of the lower limb. Results. Children aged two to three years had a valgus angulation with a mean TFA of 1.8° (. sd. 0.65) in boys and 2.45° (. sd. 0.87) in girls. Peak valgus was seen in the five- to six-year age group, with mean TFAs of 6.7° (. sd. 1.3) and 7.25° (. sd. 0.64) for boys and girls, respectively. From this age the values gradually declined to a mean of 3.18° (. sd. 1.74) and 4.43° (. sd. 0.68) for boys and girls, respectively, at 17 to 18 years. Girls showed a higher valgus angulation than boys at all age groups. Conclusion. This study defines the normal range of the TFA in south Indian boys and girls using an easy and reliable technique of measurement with a standardised custom-made goniometer. Cite this article: Bone Joint Res 2013;2:155–61

We measured the clinical tibiofemoral (TF) angle and the intercondylar (IC) or intermalleolar (IM) distance in 427 normal European children (212 male and 215 female) aged from 10 to 16 years. In our study, girls had a constant valgus (5.5 degrees) and displayed an IM distance of < 8 cm or an IC distance of < 4 cm. By contrast, boys had a varus evolution (4.4 degrees) during the last two years of growth and displayed an IM distance of < 4 cm or an IC distance of < 5 cm. Values above these for genu varum or genu valgum may require careful follow-up and evaluation

Aims. Total knee arthroplasty (TKA) may provoke ankle symptoms. The aim of this study was to validate the impact of the preoperative mechanical tibiofemoral angle (mTFA), the talar tilt (TT) on ankle symptoms after TKA, and assess changes in the range of motion (ROM) of the subtalar joint, foot posture, and ankle laxity. Methods. Patients who underwent TKA from September 2020 to September 2021 were prospectively included. Inclusion criteria were primary end-stage osteoarthritis (Kellgren-Lawrence stage IV) of the knee. Exclusion criteria were missed follow-up visit, post-traumatic pathologies of the foot, and neurological disorders. Radiological angles measured included the mTFA, hindfoot alignment view angle, and TT. The Foot Function Index (FFI) score was assessed. Gait analyses were conducted to measure mediolateral changes of the gait line and ankle laxity was tested using an ankle arthrometer. All parameters were acquired one week pre- and three months postoperatively. Results. A total of 69 patients (varus n = 45; valgus n = 24) underwent TKA and completed the postoperative follow-up visit. Of these, 16 patients (23.2%) reported the onset or progression of ankle symptoms. Varus patients with increased ankle symptoms after TKA had a significantly higher pre- and postoperative TT. Valgus patients with ankle symptoms after TKA showed a pathologically lateralized gait line which could not be corrected through TKA. Patients who reported increased ankle pain neither had a decreased ROM of the subtalar joint nor increased ankle laxity following TKA. The preoperative mTFA did not correlate with the postoperative FFI (r = 0.037; p = 0.759). Conclusion. Approximately one-quarter of the patients developed ankle pain after TKA. If patients complain about ankle symptoms after TKA, standing radiographs of the ankle and a gait analysis could help in detecting a malaligned TT or a pathological gait. Cite this article: Bone Joint J 2023;105-B(11):1159–1167

This study aimed to examine the effect of high tibial osteotomy (HTO) on the ankle and subtalar joints via analysis of static radiographic alignment. We hypothesised that surgical alteration of the alignment of the proximal tibia would result in compensatory distal changes. 35 patients recruited as part of the wider Biomechanics and Bioengineering Centre Versus Arthritis HTO study between 2011 and 2018 had pre- and postoperative full-length weightbearing radiographs taken of their lower limbs. In addition to standard alignment measures of the limb and knee (mechanical tibiofemoral angle, Mikulicz point, medial proximal tibial angle), additional measures were taken of the ankle/subtalar joints (lateral distal tibial angle, ground-talus angle, joint line convergence angle of the ankle) as well as a novel measure of stance width. Results were compared using a paired T-test and Pearson's correlation coefficient. Following HTO, there was a significant (5.4°) change in subtalar alignment. Ground-talus angle appeared related both to the level of malalignment preoperatively and the magnitude of the alignment change caused by the HTO surgery; suggesting subtalar positioning as a key adaptive mechanism. In addition to compensatory changes within the subtalar joints, the patients on average had a 31% wider stance following HTO. These two mechanisms do not appear to be correlated but the morphology of the tibial plafond may influence which compensatory mechanisms are employed by different subgroups of HTO patients. These findings are of vital importance in clinical practice both to anticipate potential changes to the ankle and subtalar joints following HTO but it could also open up wider indications for HTO in the treatment of ankle malalignment and osteoarthritis

Introduction. Accurate assessment of alignment in pre-operative and post-operative knee radiographs is important for planning and evaluating knee replacement surgery. Existing methods predominantly rely on manual measurements using long-leg radiographs, which are time-consuming to perform and are prone to reliability errors. In this study, we propose a machine-learning-based approach to automatically measure anatomical varus/valgus alignment in pre-operative and post-operative standard AP knee radiographs. Method. We collected a training dataset of 816 pre-operative and 457 one-year post-operative AP knee radiographs of patients who underwent knee replacement surgery. Further, we have collected a separate distinct test dataset with both pre-operative and one-year post-operative radiographs for 376 patients. We manually outlined the distal femur and the proximal tibia/fibula with points to capture the knee joint (including implants in the post-operative images). This included point positions used to permit calculation of the anatomical tibiofemoral angle. We defined varus/valgus as negative/positive deviations from zero. Ground truth measurements were obtained from the manually placed points. We used the training dataset to develop a machine-learning-based automatic system to locate the point positions and derive the automatic measurements. Agreement between the automatic and manual measurements for the test dataset was assessed by intra-class correlation coefficient (ICC), mean absolute difference (MAD) and Bland-Altman analysis. Result. Analysing the agreement between the manual and automated measurements, ICC values were excellent pre-/post-operatively (0.96, CI: 0.94-0.96) / (0.95, CI: 0.95-0.96). Pre-/post-operative MAD values were 1.3°±1.4°SD / 0.7°±0.6°SD. The Bland-Altman analysis showed a pre-/post-operative mean difference (bias) of 0.3°±1.9°SD/-0.02°±0.9°SD, with pre-/post-operative 95% limits of agreement of ±3.7°/±1.8°, respectively. Conclusion. The developed machine-learning-based system demonstrates high accuracy and reliability in automatically measuring anatomical varus/valgus alignment in pre-operative and post-operative knee radiographs. It provides a promising approach for automating the measurement of anatomical alignment without the need for long-leg radiographs. Acknowledgements. This research was funded by the Wellcome Trust [223267/Z/21/Z]

Aims. The aims of this study were to determine the proportion of patients with outlier varus or valgus alignment in kinematically aligned total knee arthroplasty (TKA), whether those with outlier varus or valgus alignment have higher forces in the medial or lateral compartments of the knee than those with in-range alignment and whether measurements of the alignment of the limb, knee and components predict compartment forces. Patients and Methods. The intra-operative forces in the medial and lateral compartments were measured with an instrumented tibial insert in 67 patients who underwent a kinematically aligned TKA during passive movement. The mean of the forces at full extension, 45° and 90° of flexion determined the force in the medial and lateral compartments. Measurements of the alignment of the limb and the components included the hip-knee-ankle (HKA) angle, proximal medial tibial angle (PMTA), and distal lateral femoral angle (DLFA). Measurements of the alignment of the knee and the components included the tibiofemoral angle (TFA), tibial component angle (TCA) and femoral component angle (FCA). Alignment was measured on post-operative, non-weight-bearing anteroposterior (AP) scanograms and categorised as varus or valgus outlier or in-range in relation to mechanically aligned criteria. Results. The proportion of patients with outlier varus or valgus alignment was 16%/24% for the HKA angle, 55%/0% for the PMTA, 0%/57% for the DLFA, 25%/12% for the TFA, 100%/0% for the TCA, and 0%/64% for the FCA. In general, the forces in the medial and lateral compartments of those with outlier alignment were not different from those with in-range alignment except for the TFA, in which patients with outlier varus alignment had a mean paradoxical force which was 6 lb higher in the lateral compartment than those with in-range alignment. None of the measurements of alignment of the limb, knee and components predicted the force in the medial or lateral compartment. Conclusion. Although kinematically aligned TKA has a high proportion of varus or valgus outliers using mechanically aligned criteria, the intra-operative forces in the medial and lateral compartments of patients with outlier alignment were comparable with those with in-range alignment, with no evidence of overload of the medial or lateral compartment of the knee. Cite this article: Bone Joint J 2017;99-B:1319–28

We compared the short term follow-up clinical and radiological results after PCL substituting (PS) Medial Pivot Knee and Nexgen. ®. LPS total knee arthroplasty (TKA). Seventy knees in 48 patients after TKA with PS ADVANCE. ®. Medial Pivot Knee (Group I) and sixty seven knees in 45 patients after TKA with Nexgen. ®. LPS (Group II) were evaluated retrospectively from March 2004 to May 2006. The mean follow up period was 31 months (range: 24–43 months) in group I and 32 month (range: 24–46 months) in group II. All the knees were operated by one surgeon. The evaluations included the preoperative and postoperative range of motion (ROM), Knee society score (KSS), tibiofemoral angle, and postoperative complications. In group I, ROM increased from preoperative mean flexion contracture of 6.3° and further flexion of 116° to postoperative mean flexion contracture 1.9° and further flexion 121°, KS knee score increased from 46 to 87, KS function score increased from 37 to 83, and tibiofemoral angle changed from preoperative varus 4.0° to postoperative valgus 5.5°. In group II, ROM increased from preoperative mean flexion contracture of 13° and further flexion of 118° to postoperative mean flexion contracture 0.9° and further flexion 123°, KS knee score increased from 50 to 87, KS function score increased from 48 to 83, and tibiofemoral angle changed from preoperative varus 4.1° to postoperative valgus 5.3°. The complications were two periprosthetic patellar fracture and one failure of tibial component in group I, and one early failure of femoral component and one arthrofibrosis in group II. There was no statistical difference in radiological and clinical results between the two groups. Minimum 2-year follow-up result of PS Medial Pivot Knee TKA was comparable to that of Nexgen. ®. LPS TKA and longer term follow-up would be necessary

The MediShoe (Promedics Orthopaedics Ltd, Glasgow) is a specific post-operative foot orthosis used by post-operative foot and ankle patients designed to protect fixations, wounds and maximise comfort. The use of rigid-soled shoes has been said to alter joint loading within the knee and with the popular use of the MediShoe at our centre in post operative foot and ankle surgery patients, it is important to ascertain whether this is also true. An analysis of the knee gait kinetics in healthy subjects wearing the MediShoe was carried out. Ten healthy subjects were investigated in a gait lab both during normal gait (control) and then with one shoe orthosis worn. Force plates and an optoelectronic motion capture system with retroreflective markers were used and placed on the subjects using a standardised referencing system. Three knee gait kinetic parameters were measured:- knee adduction moment; angle of action of the ground reaction force with respect to the ground in the coronal plane as well as the tibiofemoral angle. These were calculated with the Qualisys software package (Gothenburg, Sweden). A two-tailed paired t-test (95% CI) showed no significant difference between the control group and the shoe orthosis-fitted group for the knee adduction moment (p = 0.238) and insignificant changes with respect to the tibiofemoral angle (p = 0.4952) and the acting angle of the ground reaction force (p = 0.059). The MediShoe doesn't significantly alter knee gait kinetics in healthy patients. Further work, however is recommended before justifying its routine use

Purpose. The NexGen® legacy posterior stabilized (LPS)-Flex total knee system (Zimmer, Warsaw, IN) is designed to provide 150° of flexion following total knee arthroplasty (TKA). But, recent reports found a high incidence of loosening of the femoral component related to the deep flexion provided. We evaluated 9- to 12-year clinical and radiological follow-up results after NexGen® LPS-Flex TKA. Materials and Methods. A retrospective evaluation was undertaken of 209 knees in 160 patients (21 males, 139 females) who were followed up for more than 9 years after Nexgen®LPS-Flex TKA. Evaluations included preoperative and postoperative range of motion(ROM), Knee Society(KS) knee score, function scores, tibiofemoral angle and assessment of postoperative complications. Results. The NexGen® LPS-Flex TKA resulted in a significant ROM increase from a mean flexion contracture of 9°(range 0°–20°) and further flexion of 117°(range 80° –155°) to a mean flexion contracture of 2°(range 0° –10°) and a further flexion of 131°(range 95° –155°). The KS knee and function scores significantly improved from 52 and 38 before surgery to 87 and 82 after surgery, respectively. The tibiofemoral angle significantly improved from varus 5.7° to valgus 5.4°. Progressive radiolucent lines around the femoral component on radiographs were observed in 39 knees(18.7%, 34 patients), and more of those knees, could squat than non-radiolucent knees(74.4% vs. 25.6%; P<0.05). Twelve knees(5.7%, 11 patients) were revised at a mean 53 months after the index operation due to loosening of the femoral component. Other causes of revision included 3 knees of infection(1.4%) and 3 knees of instability(1.4%). Conclusion. While NexGen® LPS-Flex TKA satisfactorily improved ROM, it was associated with a relatively high incidence of loosening of the femoral components. This might be associated with passive-maximal flexion activity, such as squatting or kneeling. The clinical relevance of this study is that squatting or kneeling, common activity in Asian, may not be allowed after NexGen® LPS-Flex TKA

Purpose. The purpose of this study was to compare the clinical and radiological results after total knee arthroplasty(TKA) with PCL sacrificing (PCS) Medial Pivot Knee (MPK) and PCL Substituting (PS) Nexgen® LPS. Materials and Methods. One hundred twenty knees in 80 patients after TKA with PCS ADVANCE® MPK (Group I) and 116 knees in 85 patients with PS Nexgen® LPS (Group II) were retrospectively evaluated. All the patients were followed up for more than 6 years. The evaluations included preoperative and postoperative range of motion (ROM), tibiofemoral angle, Knee Society (KS) knee and function score, Hospital for Special Surgery (HSS) knee score, WOMAC score and postoperative complications. Results. For group I, the ROM increased from a mean flexion contracture of 7.6° and further flexion of 115.1° to 1.3° and 120.5° respectively and for group II, from 9.4° and 124.8° to 1.3° and 129.7°, respectively. For group I, KS knee and function scores increased from 46 and 38 to 87 and 82 respectively, and for group II, from 49 and 43 to 88 and 81, respectively. Hospital for Special Surgery (HSS) knee score improved from preoperatively 48.3 to postoperatively 84.2 for group I and 44.6 to 82.3 for group II. WOMAC score was improved preoperatively 54.8 to postoperatively 18.3 for group I and 57.4 to 17.4 for group II. For group I, tibiofemoral angle changed from varus 4.6° to valgus 5.8° and for group II, from varus 5.8° to valgus 5.2°. The complications were 2 cases(1.7%) of periprosthetic patellar fracture and 1 case(0.8%) of early failure of the tibial component and 1 case(0.8%) of osteolysis and loosening in group I, and 1 knee (1.0%) with early femoral component failure and 1 knee with arthrofibrosis (1.0%) in group II. Conclusion. The minimum 6-year follow-up results of PCS ADVANCE® MPK TKA without box cut were comparable to those of PS Nexgen®LPS

Introduction. Deformity of knee joint causes deviation of mechanical axis in the coronal plane, and the mechanical axis deviation also could adversely affect biomechanics of the ankle joint as well as the knee joint. Particularly, most of the patients undergoing total knee arthroplasty (TKA) have significant preoperative varus malalignment which would be corrected after TKA, the patients also may have significant changes of ankle joint characteristics after the surgery. This study aimed 1) to examine the prevalence of coexisting ankle osteoarthritis (OA) in the patients undergoing TKA due to varus knee OA and to determine whether the patients with coexisting ankle OA have more varus malalignment, and 2) to evaluate the changes of radiographic parameters for ankle joint before and 4 years after TKA. Methods. We evaluated 153 knees in 86 patients with varus knee OA who underwent primary TKA. With use of standing whole-limb anteroposterior radiographs and ankle radiographs before and 4 years after TKRA, we assessed prevalence of coexisting ankle OA in the patients before TKA and analyzed the changes of four radiographic parameters before and after TKA including 1) the mechanical tibiofemoral angle (negative value = varus), 2) the ankle joint orientation relative to the ground (positive value = sloping down laterally), 3) ankle joint space, and 4) medial clear space. Results. Of the 153 knees, 59 (39%) had radiographic ankle OA. The knees with ankle OA had significantly more varus mechanical tibiofemoral angle preoperatively than those without ankle OA (− 11.9° vs. − 9.3° on average, respectively; P = 0.003). Compared to the preoperative condition, the ankle joint orientation relative to the ground significantly changed after TKA (from 9.0° to 4.8° on average, P<0.001) while ankle joint space and medial clear space did not. Conclusions. Our study revealed that coexisting ankle OA would be common in patients with varus knee OA, particularly in patients with more varus malalignment. TKA also significantly changes the ankle joint orientation relative to the ground which shows more parallel to the ground. However, its effect on ankle joint space and medial clear space seems to be minimal upto 4 years after TKA. Our findings warrant consideration in preoperative evaluations of ankle OA in varus knee OA patients undergoing TKA, and further studies should evaluate prospectively the clinical implications of radiographic change of the ankle joint after TKA

Aims. To present our experience of using a combination of intra-articular osteotomy and external fixation to treat different deformities of the knee. Patients and Methods. A total of six patients with a mean age of 26.5 years (15 to 50) with an abnormal hemi-joint line convergence angle (HJLCA) and mechanical axis deviation (MAD) were included. Elevation of a tibial hemiplateau or femoral condylar advancement was performed and limb lengthening with correction of residual deformity using a circular or monolateral Ilizarov frame. Results. At a mean follow-up of 2.8 years (1.5 to 4.1), the mean HJLCA improved from 15.6° (10° to 23°) pre-operatively to 0.4° (0° to 2°). The mean MAD improved from 70.0 mm (20.1 to 118.5) pre-operatively to 9.1 mm (3 to 15). The mean tibiofemoral angle improved from 31.0° (8° to 54°) pre-operatively to 4.9° (2° to 8°). The mean limb-length discrepancy decreased from 6.3 cm (2.9 to 13.6) pre-operatively to 1.1 cm (0 to 5). All osteotomies and distraction zones healed without complications. Conclusion. The use of intra-articular corrective osteotomies combined with the Ilizarov technique allowed correction of deformities of the knee joint with satisfactory HJLCA and overall mechanical axis in six patients with a good functional and cosmetic outcome in the short term. Cite this article: Bone Joint J 2017;99-B:204–10

Patient-specific cutting guides (PSCGs) are designed to improve the accuracy of alignment of total knee replacement (TKR). We compared the accuracy of limb alignment and component positioning after TKR performed using PSCGs or conventional instrumentation. A total of 80 patients were randomised to undergo TKR with either of the different forms of instrumentation, and radiological outcomes and peri-operative factors such as operating time were assessed. No significant difference was observed between the groups in terms of tibiofemoral angle or femoral component alignment. Although the tibial component in the PSCGs group was measurably closer to neutral alignment than in the conventional group, the size of the difference was very small (89.8° (. sd. 1.2) vs 90.5° (. sd. 1.6); p = 0.030). This new technology slightly shortened the bone-cutting time by a mean of 3.6 minutes (p < 0.001) and the operating time by a mean 5.1 minutes (p = 0.019), without tangible differences in post-operative blood loss (p = 0.528) or need for blood transfusion (p = 0.789). This study demonstrated that both PSCGs and conventional instrumentation restore limb alignment and place the components with the similar accuracy. The minimal advantages of PSCGs in terms of consistency of alignment or operative time are unlikely to be clinically relevant. Cite this article: Bone Joint J 2013;95-B:354–9

Aim: The aim of this research was to assess the difference in the observed tibiofemoral axis between long leg and short AP films of the knee. Method: 20 patients who were undergoing primary total knee replacement, and had had no previous surgery on the affected limb were x-rayed using the a long leg cassette to include both the hip and ankle joints. A special screen was constructed to obscure all the x-ray except for a field, the size of a standard AP x-ray of the knee. The tibiofemoral angle was measured by two independent observers first on the short film and then on the long leg film. Results: Our results have shown that the short leg film consistently overestimates the true tibiofemoral angle. Intraobserver correlation is also better when comparing the long leg film rather than the short film. Conclusion: Measurement of the tibiofemoral or anatomical axis of the knee is best performed using long leg films, as this appears to give more consistent and reproducible results

Constrained condylar knee (CCK) prosthesis offers an implant option for complex revision total knee arthroplasties in which stable varus-valgus constraint as well as rotational control is needed for severe bone defect and ligament insufficiency. The aim of this study was to evaluate the clinical and radiological outcome of CCK prosthesis in revision TKA. Fify-one revision TKAs performed using CCK prosthesis between Jan. 1998 and Feb. 2006 were performed. The mean follow-up period was 5 years and 3 months (2 to 9 years) and the interval between initial and revision TKA was 8 years (4 months to 21 years). The mean age was 67 years. Range of motion (ROM), knee society (KS) score, hospital for special surgery (HSS) score, complication rate and failure rate was evaluated. The tibiofemoral angle and radiolucent line was also evaluated on plain radiograph. The mean ROM improved from 81.9° to 102°. The mean KS score improved from 49.3° to 79.7°, and KS function score from 50.3 to 71.0 (P< .001). The mean HSS score improved from 50.7 to 78.7 (P< .001). Tibiofemoral angle improved from valgus 3.1° to valgus 5.6° (P< .001). Radiolucent line more than 2mm was observed around 4 femoral and 4 tibial components. Complications including 1 skin necrosis, 1 tibial tubercle nonunion, 2 infections, 3 periprosthetic fractures and 5 arthrofibrosis were observed. Overall rating was excellent or good in 88% at the last follow up. Revision TKA using CCK prosthesis showed comparable results with other reports in average 5 years follow-up

We evaluated the minimum 3 year follow-up clinical and radiological results after Nexgen. ®. LPS-flex total knee arthroplasty (TKA). Two hundred eighteen knees in 166 patients, who could be followed up more than 3 years after Nexgen. ®. LPS-flex TKA from October 2001 to February 2005, were evaluated retrospectively. The average age was 64.2 years. Twenty-two patients were male and 144 patients were female. The mean follow-up period was 51 months (range 36–73 months). The evaluations included the preoperative and postoperative range of motion (ROM), Knee Society (KS) Score, tibiofemoral angle and postoperative complications. The ROM increased from preoperative mean flexion contracture of 8.7° and further flexion of 117.3° to postoperative mean flexion contracture of 1.8° and further flexion of 131.3°. The KS knee score and function score improved from 52 and 38 before surgery to 87 and 82 after surgery, respectively. The tibiofemoral angle changed from preoperative varus 5.7° to postoperative valgus 5.4°. The complications were 30 knees (13.8%, 27 patients) of early loosening of the femoral component on X-ray, 2 instabilities, 2 periprosthetic fractures and 1 failure of extensor mechanism. Early loosening (30 knees) was found at mean 24 months after operation. Among these cases, 23 knees were able to squat, 5 knees to flex over 130°, 1 knee upto 115° and 1 knee upto 95°. Seven knees (3.2%, 6 patients) were revised at mean 49 months after index operation. The results after Nexgen. ®. LPS-flex TKA were satisfactory in terms of ROM, but relatively high incidence of early loosening of the femoral components occurred, which might be associated with passive-maximal flexion activity, such as squatting or kneeling

Purpose: To analyze the clinical and radiographic results of patients treated by Oxford minimally invasive unicompartmental knee arthroplasty. Materials and Methods: We have operated 166 patients 188 knees of minimally invasive unicompartmental knee arthroplasty(Oxford Uni. ®. ) from January 2002 to December 2005. The mean ages was 65.3 (44–82) years and 16 cases of male and 150 cases of female. The mean follow-up period was 57 (36–77) months. Preoperative diagnosis were osteoarthritis in 166 cases, avascular necrosis of medial femoral condyle in 20 cases and chondrocalcinosis in 2 cases. The clinical results were evaluated using the HSS knee score and the range of motion of knee preoperatively and at the final follow up. At the final follow up, the ability of the patient to assume the squatting and cross-leg position were checked. The tibiofemoral angle was measured preoperatively and postoperatively. Component loosening, radiolucent lines were checked. Result: The HSS knee score was 67.5 (52–86) preoperatively and 89.9 (59–100) at the final follow up. The mean preoperative flexion contracture was 6.5° (0–20) and 0.81 (0–5) at the final follow up. Active full flexion was possible within postoperative 2 months. The squatting position was possible in 133 patients (80.1%) and the cross-leg position was possible in 152 patients (91.6%). The tibiofemoral angle was improved varus 1.5° to valgus 4.8°. Complication occurred in 14 cases (7.4%). Meniscal bearing dislocation in 8 cases (4.3%). Tibial components loosenig in 3 cases (1.6%). Femoral components loosening in 2 cases (1.1%). The average time of meniscal bearing dislocation was 11.3 (3–24)months postoperatively. Six cases returned to the predislocation level of activity with the insertion of thicker bearings and 2cases required TKR conversion. Conclusion: Minimally invasive unicompartmental knee arthroplasty(Oxford Uni. ®. ) provides rapid recovery, good pain relief and excellent function quite suitable to Korean life-style. But given the high complicate rate in mid-term results. Oxford Uni. ®. gives less reliability compared with TKR

Introduction. There has been renewed interest in the use of unicompartmental knee arthroplasty (UKA) for patients with limited degenerative disease of the knee due to improved surgical techniques and prosthetic design, and the desire for minimally invasive surgery. However, patient satisfaction following UKA for lateral compartment disease have been suboptimal with increased revision rates. Robotic-assisted UKA has been shown to improve precision and accuracy of component placement, which may improve outcomes of lateral UKA. The purpose of this study was to compare the outcome of robotic-assisted UKA to conventional UKA for degenerative disease of the lateral compartment with the hypothesis that robotic-assisted lateral UKA results in superior outcomes compared to conventional UKA. Methods. The institution's joint registry was searched for patients who underwent UKA for limited degenerative disease of the lateral knee compartment between 2004 and 2012 and a total of 125 lateral UKAs were identified. The medical records of all patients were reviewed and assessed for the type of surgical procedure used (robotic-assisted versus conventional), length of hospital stay, Oxford knee score, and occurrence of revision surgery. Preoperative and postoperative radiographs were assessed for tibiofemoral angle, femoral and tibial joint line angle, posterior tibial slope, and orientation of the femoral and tibial components. Results. A total of 88 (84 patients) robotic-assisted (Figure 1) and 37 (36 patients) conventional UKA (Figure 2) were analyzed and compared. Patient age and BMI were similar between patients with robotic-assisted (64.2 ± 11.5 years, 28.7 kg/m. 2. ) and conventional UKA (64.2 ± 11.5 years [p = 0.998], 30.5 kg/m. 2. [p = 0.107]). At a mean follow-up of 24.4 ± 1.1 months for robotic-assisted UKA and 64.0 ± 3.0 months (p < 0.05) for conventional UKA, the mean Oxford scores were significantly higher in patients with robotic-assisted UKA (39.4 ± 1.1 versus 34.4 ± 2.5, p = 0.048). The length of stay was significantly shorter after robotic-assisted UKA (1.7 days) compared to conventional UKA (2.3 days, p < 0.001). Correction of the tibiofemoral angle was significantly higher in patients with conventional UKA (8.7 to 176.9 degrees) compared to patients with robotic-assisted UKA (3.4 to 174.3 degrees, p < 0.001). However, the femoral component was in significantly greater varus position in conventional UKA (98.7 degrees) compared to robotic-assisted UKA (88.2 degrees, p < 0.001). There were significantly more revisions in the conventional UKA group (7 conversions to total knee arthroplasty, 2 tibial component exchanges) compared to robotic-assisted UKA (2 conversions to TKA, p < 0.001). Discussion. The findings of this study revealed a decreased revision rate in robotic-assisted lateral UKAs compared to conventional lateral UKA. Furthermore, patients who received robotic-assisted UKAs had a shorter postoperative hospital stay compared to patients who received conventional UKA. Implant orientation was improved in robotic-assisted UKA compared to conventional UKA. UKA is a technically challenging procedure with limited joint visualization and malaligned components may lead to impaired joint biomechanics causing pain and disease progression to other knee compartments. Robotic-assisted UKA systems offer increased accuracy of component placement with objective soft-tissue balancing which may improve the long-term survival of UKA in patients with limited lateral degenerative disease

Introduction. In total knee arthroplasty (TKA), component realignment with bone-based surgical correction (BBSC) can provide soft tissue balance and avoid the unpredictability of soft tissue releases (STR) and potential for more post-operative pain. Robotic-assisted TKA enhances the ability to accurately control bone resection and implant position. The purpose of this study was to identify preoperative and intraoperative predictors for soft tissue release where maximum use of component realignment was desired. Methods. This was a retrospective, single center study comparing 125 robotic-assisted TKAs quantitatively balanced using load-sensing tibial trial components with BBSC and/or STR. A surgical algorithm favoring BBSC with a desired final mechanical alignment of between 3° varus and 2° valgus was utilized. Component realignment adjustments were made during preoperative planning, after varus/valgus stress gaps were assessed after removal of medial and lateral osteophytes (pose capture), and after trialing. STR was performed when a BBSC would not result in knee balance within acceptable alignment parameters. The predictability for STR was assessed at four steps of the procedure: Preoperatively with radiographic analysis, and after assessing static alignment after medial and lateral osteophyte removal, pose capture, and trialing. Cutoff values predictive of release were obtained using receiver operative curve analysis. Results. STR was necessary in 43.5% of cases with medial collateral ligament (MCL) release being the most common. On preoperative radiographs, a medial tibiofemoral angle (mTFA) ≤177° predicted MCL release (AUC = 0.76. p< 0.01) while an mTFA ≥188° predicted ITB release (AUC = 0.79, p <0.01). Intraoperatively after removal of osteophytes, a robotically assessed mechanical alignment (MA) ≥8° varus predicted MCL release (AUC = 0.84. p< 0.01) while a MA ≥2° valgus (AUC = 0.89, p< 0.01) predicted ITB release. During pose-capture, in medially tight knees, an extension gap imbalance ≥2.5mm (AUC = 0.82, p <0.01) and a flexion gap imbalance ≥2.0mm (AUC = 0.78, p <0.01) predicted MCL release while in laterally tight knees, any extension or flexion gap imbalance >0 mm predicted ITB release (AUC = 0.84, p <0.01 and AUC = 0.82, p <0.01 respectively). During trialing, in medially tight knees, a medial>lateral extension load imbalance ≥18 PSI (AUC = 0.84. p< 0.01) and a flexion load imbalance ≥ 35 PSI (AUC = 0.83, p< 0.01) predicted MCL release while, in laterally tight knees, a lateral>medial extension load imbalance ≥3 PSI (AUC = 0.97, p< 0.01) or flexion load imbalance ≥ 9.5 PSI (AUC = 0.86, p< 0.01) predicted ITB release. Of all identified predictors, load imbalance at trialing had the greatest positive predictive value for STR. Conclusion. There are limitations to the extent that TKA imbalance that can be corrected with BBSC alone if one has a range of acceptable alignment parameters. The ability to predict STR improves from pose-capture to trialing stages during detection of load imbalance. Perhaps this may be due to posterior osteophytes that are still present at pose capture. Further investigation of the relationship between the presence, location and size of posterior osteophytes and need for STR during TKA is necessary

Background. Authors sought to determine the degree of lateral condylar hypoplasia of distal femur was related to degree of valgus malalignment of lower extremity in patients who underwent TKA. Authors also examined the relationships between degree of valgus malalignment and degree of femoral anteversion or tibial torsion. Methods. This retrospective study included 211 patients (422 lower extremities). Alignment of lower extremity was determined using mechanical tibiofemoral angle (mTFA) measured from standing full-limb AP radiography. mTFA was described positive value when it was valgus. Patients were divided into three groups by mTFA; more than 3 degrees of valgus (valgus group, n = 31), between 3 degrees of valgus to 3 degrees of varus (neutral group, n = 78), and more than 3 degrees of varus (varus group, n = 313). Condylar twisting angle (CTA) was used to measure degree of the lateral femoral condylar hypoplasia. CTA was defined as the angle between clinical transepicondylar axis (TEA) and posterior condylar axis (PCA). Femoral anteversion was measured by two methods. One was the angle formed between the line intersecting femoral neck and the PCA (pFeAV). The other was the angle formed between the line intersecting femoral neck and clinical TEA (tFeAV). Tibial torsion was defined as a degree of torsion of distal tibia relative to proximal tibia. It was determined by the angle formed between the line connecting posterior cortices of proximal tibial condyles and the line connecting the most prominent points of lateral and medial malleolus. Positive values represented relative external rotation. Negative values represented relative internal rotation. Results. Greater lateral femoral condylar hypoplasia was related to increased valgus alignment of lower extremity. Correlation coefficient between mTFA and CTA was 0.253 (p < 0.001). Valgus group showed increased CTA, which was 10.2° ± 1.9°. CTA was 7.4° ± 2.5° in neutral group and 6.6° ± 4.8° in varus group. There was significant positive correlation between the degree of valgus alignment and the degree of femoral anteversion (r = 0.145, p = 0.003). pFeAV was 16.7° ± 5.8° in valgus group, 12.1° ± 6.0° in neutral group and 10.9° ± 7.0° in varus group. There was no correlation between degree of valgus alignment and degree of femoral anteversion (r = 0.060, p = 0.218). In terms of tibial torsion, increased valgus malalignment was associated with increased tibial torsion (r = 0.374, p < 0.001). Valgus group showed increased tibial torsion than other groups. Tibial torsion was 32.6° ± 6.2° in valgus group, 26.3° ± 6.9° in neutral group and 22.6° ± 7.2° in varus group. Conclusions. Increased valgus alignment of lower extremity was related to greater lateral femoral condylar hypoplasia. However, increased valgus alignment was not related to degree of femoral anteversion whereas it was related to increased external tibial torsion. Our findings should be considered when determining proper rotational alignment in TKA