Abstract. INTRODUCTION. Fracture neck of femur is aptly called as “the fracture of necessity” owing to the various factors responsible for its non-union. Pauwel's inter-trochantric valgus osteotomy is a useful approach to deal with such fractures. AIM. The aim of this study is to evaluate the functional outcome of valgus osteotomy in treatment of neglected and non-union fracture neck of femur using Harris Hip Scoring system (HHS). MATERIAL AND METHODS. This observational study included 25 patients of the age between 25 years and 50 years with more than 3 weeks since injury and the patients with failed primary fixation. Valgus osteotomy using120° double angled blade plate was done. The patients were followed up till one year. The patients' functional outcome was evaluated with pre-operative and post-operative Harris Hip Score (HHS) at 6 months and one year. RESULTS. Outcome was excellent in 14 patients (HHS>90), good in 8 patients (HHS between 80–90) and fair in one patient (HHS=75.6). Two patients ended up in non-union with blade cut out. The mean HHS at the end of one year was 89.18 + 7.822. The mean change in HHS values pre-operatively and one year post-operatively came out to be 69.58 + 20.032. CONCLUSION. We conclude that for the patients under 50 years of age with neglected fracture of the femoral neck, the Pauwel's osteotomy produces many good results

Objectives. Minimally invasive surgery (MIS) has gained popularity for hallux valgus, compared to the traditional scarf osteotomy (OS). Though evidence suggests similar clinical outcomes, there is paucity of randomised controlled studies. This study aimed to assess the feasibility of conducting a randomised controlled trial comparing the patient recorded and clinical outcomes for the surgical management of Hallux Valgus between OS and MIS Chevron Akin (MICA). Methods. Patients suitable for surgical correction were invited to participate. Post-op rehabilitation was standardised for both groups. Patients completed a validated questionnaire (Manchester Oxford Foot questionnaire and EQ-5D-5L) pre-operatively and post-operatively at 6 months and 1 year. Radiological parameters and range of motion were measured pre-and post-operatively. Results. 31 patients were recruited between Dec 2017 and June 2022. 17 patients were randomised to MICA (15 female, mean age 51) and 15 to OS (14 female, mean age 51). Both groups had a significant improvement in all MOXFQ parameters at 6m and 12m, as well as radiological parameters. VAS improved for OS (p=0.048) and for MICA (p=0.059) at 6m. There was no significant improvement in EQ-5D in either group at 12 months and no significant difference in operative time (p=0.53). There was a higher number of complications in the MICA group with 5 removal of metalwork (29.4%) and 2 superficial infections (11.8%) versus none in the OS group. The dorsiflexion significantly improved in the OS group at 6months (p=0.04). Recruitment rate dipped during COVID. No patients were lost at follow up. Conclusion. Both surgical options show similar clinical results, but higher complication rates were seen with MICA. This study illustrates the feasibility to conduct a randomised control trial for the comparison between the two techniques. Challenges to recruitment included surgeon equipoise, patient preference, training requirement and the pandemic which could be mitigated in a larger study

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

Introduction. Valgus deformity in an end stage osteoarthritic knee can be difficult to correct with no clear consensus on case management. Dependent on if the joint can be reduced and the degree of medial laxity or distension, a surgeon must use their discretion on the correct method for adequate lateral releases. Robotic assisted (RA) technology has been shown to have three dimensional (3D) cut accuracy which could assist with addressing these complex cases. The purpose of this work was to determine the number of soft tissue releases and component orientation of valgus cases performed with RA total knee arthroplasty (TKA). Methods. This study was a retrospective chart review of 72 RATKA cases with valgus deformity pre-operatively performed by a single surgeon from July 2016 to December 2017. Initial and final 3D component alignment, knee balancing gaps, component size, and full or partial releases were collected intraoperatively. Post-operatively, radiographs, adverse events, WOMAC total and KOOS Jr scores were collected at 6 months, 1 year and 2 year post-operatively. Results. Pre-operatively, knee deformities ranged from reducible knees with less than 5mm of medial laxity to up to 12° with fixed flexion contracture. All knees were corrected within 2.5 degrees of mechanical neutral. Average femoral component position was 0.26. o. valgus, and 4.07. o. flexion. Average tibial component position was 0.37. o. valgus, and 2.96. o. slope, where all tibial components were placed in a neutral or valgus orientation. Flexion and extension gaps were within 2mm (mean 1mm) for all knees. Medial and lateral gaps were balanced 100% in extension and 93% in flexion. The average flexion gap was 18.3mm and the average extension gap was 18.7mm. For component size prediction, the surgeon achieved their planned within one size on the femur 93.8% and tibia 100% of the time. The surgeon upsized the femur in 6.2% of cases. Soft tissue releases were reported in one of the cases. At latest follow-up, radiographic evidence suggested well seated and well fixed components. Radiographs also indicated the patella components were tracking well within the trochlear groove. No revision and re-operation is reported. Mean WOMAC total scores were improved from 24±8.3 pre-op to 6.6±4.4 2-year post-op (p<0.01). Mean KOOS scores were improved from 46.8±9.7 pre-op to 88.4±13.5 2-year post-op (p<0.01). Discussion. In this retrospective case review, the surgeon was able to balance the knee with bone resections and avoid disturbing the soft tissue envelope in valgus knees with 1–12° of deformity. To achieve this balance, the femoral component was often adjusted in axial and valgus rotations. This allowed the surgeon to open lateral flexion and extension gaps. While this study has several limitations, RATKA for valgus knees should continue to be investigated. For any figures or tables, please contact authors directly

Background and Purpose of Study. The Valgus knee in total knee Arthroplasty, is considered a more demanding procedure, often with ligament balance a greater challenge than seen with neutral or Varus knees. It has also frequently been suggested that prostheses with higher levels of constraint be used to avoid late-onset instability. Various lateral release techniques have also been suggested in the literature. This study is aimed at assessing the outcomes of an unconstrained, rotating platform designed prosthesis, the LCS, using our technique, in the management of severe valgus deformity. Methods. 44 knees in 42 patients with a pre-operative valgus deformity of more than 10 degrees were included in our retrospective series. We analyzed the radiographs for the degree of correction, the angle of tibial tray implantation, and femoral implantation angle, tibial slope, as well as the presence (or degree) of lift off and any complications were noted. In this group, 7 had a Valgus deformity of greater than 25 degrees, with a mean Valgus deformity of 17,36 degrees. The mean age at operation was 65. Clinical and radiological analysis was done Pre-hospital discharge and again post-operatively 6 weeks. Results. The mean coronal alignment was corrected from 17,36 degrees to 5 degrees of Valgus post operatively. 2 knees were corrected past neutral to varus alignment. There was 1 case of bearing spin out experienced early on in the series. The mean tibial implant angle was 1,7 degrees from neutral. Lift off in the early post-operative X-rays was seen in 6 patients, however at 3 month follow up the knees appeared to be well balanced. There were no infections or revisions for wear, one re-operation for bearing dislocation, and no cases of loosening in our series. There were no cases of delayed instability. Patient satisfaction was 86 %. Conclusions. The rotating platform, mobile bearing prosthesis, using our technique, provided a reproducible correction of deformity in Valgus knees, a well-balanced knee, a low complication rate, and an excellent degree of patient satisfaction. NO DISCLOSURES

Management of a knee with valgus deformities has always been considered a major challenge. Total knee arthroplasty requires not only correction of this deformity but also meticulous soft tissue balancing and achievement of a balanced rectangular gap. Bony deformities such as hypoplastic lateral condyle, tibial bone loss, and malaligned/malpositioned patella also need to be addressed. In addition, external rotation of the tibia and adaptive metaphyseal remodeling offers a challenge in obtaining the correct rotational alignment of the components. Various techniques for soft tissue balancing have been described in the literature and use of different implant options reported. These options include use of cruciate retaining, sacrificing, substituting and constrained implants. Purpose. This presentation describes options to correct a severe valgus deformity (severe being defined as a femorotibial angle of greater than 15 degrees) and their long term results. Methods. 34 women (50 knees) and 19 men (28 knees) aged 39 to 84 (mean 74) years with severe valgus knees underwent primary TKA by a senior surgeon. A valgus knee was defined as one having a preoperative valgus alignment greater than 15 degrees on a standing anteroposterior radiograph. The authors recommend a medial approach to correct the deformity, a minimal medial release and a distal femoral valgus resection of angle of 3 degrees. We recommend a sequential release of the lateral structures starting anteriorly from the attachment of ITB to the Gerdy's tubercle and going all the way back to the posterolaetral corner and capsule. Correctability of the deformity is checked sequentially after each release. After adequate posterolateral release, if the tibial tubercle could be rotated past the mid-coronal plate medially in both flexion and extension, it indicated appropriate soft tissue release and balance. Fine tuning in terms of final piecrusting of the ITB and or popliteus was carried out after using the trial components. Valgus secondary to an extra-articular deformity was treated using the criteria of Wen et al. In our study the majority of severe valgus knees (86%) could be treated by using unconstrained (CR, PS) knee options reserving the constrained knee / rotating hinge options only in cases of posterolateral instability secondary to an inadequate large release or in situations with very lax or incompetent MCL. Results. The average follow up was 10 years (range 8 to 14 years). The average HSS knee scores improved from 48 points preoperatively (range 32 to 68 points) to 91 points (range 78 to 95 points) postoperatively. The average postoperative range of motion measured with a goniometer was 110 degrees (range 80 to 135 degrees) which was a significant improvement over the preoperative levels (average 65 degrees). None of the patients were clinically unstable in the medioloateral or anteroposterior plane at the time of final follow up. The average preoperative valgus tibiofemoral alignment was 19.6 degrees (range 15 degrees to 45 degrees). Postoperatively the average tibio-femoral alignment was 5 degrees (range 2 degrees to 7 degrees) of valgus. No patient in the study was revised. Conclusion. Adequate lateral soft tissue release is the key to successful TKA in valgus knees. The choice of implant depends on the severity of the valgus deformity and the extent of soft tissue release needed to obtain a stable knee with balanced flexion and extension gaps. The most minimal constraint needed to achieve stability and balance was used in this study. In our experience the long term results of TKR on severe valgus deformities using minimal constrained knee have been good

Short scarf osteotomy (SSO) retains the versatility of standard scarf in treating moderate and severe hallux valgus deformity with the added benefit of less invasiveness translated into less soft-tissue stripping, reduced exposure, less metalwork, less operative time and reduced cost. We present our medium-term clinical, radiographic and patient satisfaction results. All patients who underwent SSO between January 2015 and December 2017 were eligible (98). Exclusion criteria were: follow up less than a year, additional 1st ray procedures, inflammatory arthropathy, infection, peripheral vascular disease and hallux rigidus. Eighty-four patients (94 feet) were included: 80 females / 4 males with average age of 51-year-old (24–81). Minimum follow up was 12 months (12–28). Weight-bearing x-rays and AOFAS score were compared pre- and postoperatively. Non-parametric Mann-Whitney U test assessed statistical significance of our results. Hallux valgus angle (HVA) improved from preoperative mean of 30.8° (17.4°–46.8°) to 12° (4°–30°) postoperatively (p=0.0001). Intermetatarsal angle (IMA) improved from preoperative mean of 15.1° (10.3°–21.1°) to 7.1° (4°–15.1°) postoperatively (p=0.0001). Average sesamoid coverage according to Reynold's tibial sesamoid position improved from average grade 2.18 (1–3) to 0.57 (0–2) (p=0.0001). Average AOFAS score improved from 51.26 (32–88) to 91.1 (72–100) (p=0.0001). Ninety percent of patients were satisfied and 83% wound recommend the surgery. No troughing phenomenon or fractures. Four overcorrections were found 3 of which did not require surgery. One recurrence at 18 months was treated with standard scarf. We believe that this technique offers a safer, quicker and equally versatile way of dealing with Hallux Valgus

Valgus deformity is less common than varus. There is an associated bone deformity in many cases – dysplasia of the lateral femoral condyle. There are also soft tissue deformities, including tightness of the lateral soft tissues, and stretching of those on the medial side. Unlike varus, where the bone deformity is primarily tibial, in valgus knees it is most often femoral. There is both a distal and a posterior hypoplasia of the lateral femoral condyle. This results in a sloping joint line, and failure to correct this results in valgus malalignment. Posterior lateral bone loss also results in accidental internal rotation of the femoral component, which affects patellar tracking. Using the trans-epicondylar axis and Whiteside's line helps to position the femoral component in the correct rotation. Soft tissue balancing is more complex in the valgus knee. Releases are performed sequentially, depending on the particular combination of deformities. It is important to note whether the knee is tight in flexion, in extension, or both. Tightness in extension is the most common, and is corrected by release of the iliotibial band. Tightness in flexion as well as extension requires that the lateral collateral ligament +/− the popliteus tendon be released. Cruciate substituting designs are helpful in many cases, and in extreme deformity with medial stretching, a constrained or “total stabilised” design is needed. Patellar maltracking is common, and a lateral retinacular release may be needed. Beware of over-releasing the posterolateral corner, as excessive release may cause marked instability. Use the pie-crust technique of Insall

Background:. Varus or Valgus malpositioning of tibial prosthetic components in total knee replacement (TKR) surgery may lead to early failure due to increased polyethelene wear, soft tissue imbalancing, aseptic loosening and eventually revision surgery. Therefore, the clinical success of total knee arthroplasty (TKA) correlates with good component alignment. Conventional methods of coronal tibial alignment result in an acceptable range of prosthetic alignment in relation to the anatomical axis (tibial tangent angle). The measurement ranges from 90° ± 3°, but literature quotes that there is up to 27% of cases with coronal tibial alignment deviation of greater than 3°. Many studies show that the use of conventional intramedullary rod alignment versus extramedullary rod alignment gives similar results. The tibial alignment and overall prosthetic alignment in TKA has improved remarkably by using computerized navigation assisted surgery (CAS), with tibial tangent angle of 90° ± 3 in up to 97% of cases. However, the success of accurate tibial and femoral alignment depends on the surgeon and the data fed to the computer. Also long term results on survival rates of TKR using CAS is still pending. It is clear that assessing tibial alignment (ie. anatomical axis) with whatever method used faces challenges which will affect the tibial bony cuts and the final tibial tangent angle. To achieve a 90° tibial cut in relation to the anatomical axis we made use of fluoroscopy intra-operatively to assess the anatomical axis of the tibia and the correct alignment of the tibial cutting block. Methods:. TKR's were performed on 36 consecutive patients over a 4 month period. The aim was to assess the coronal tibial alignment of the tibial component intra-operatively using fuloroscopy. A conventional manual extramedullary alignment rod with its tibial cutting block was used and the final positioning was confirmed with an image intensifier. The tibial cutting block must be at 90° to the anatomical axis of the tibia. The rest of the TKR procedures were performed as routinely described. Post-operative radiographs were taken on the same day as the surgery and again at six week follow up visit when the tibial tangent angle was measured. Results:. The coronal tibial angulation was consistent at 0° in 32 knees with a 1°–2° deviation in 4 knees. Conclusion:. We conclude that the use of fluoroscopy intra-operatively can improve the tibial component alignment and thus decrease the cumulative errors which have significant and dramatic effects on the function and the longevity of the total knee prosthesis

Preoperative talar valgus deformity increases the technical difficulty of total ankle replacement (TAR) and is associated with an increased failure rate. Deformity of ≥15° has been reported to be a contraindication to arthroplasty. The goal of the present study was to determine whether the operative procedures and clinical outcomes of TAR for treatment of end-stage ankle arthritis were comparable for patients with preoperative talar valgus deformity of ≥15° as compared to those with <15°. We will describe the evolving surgical technique being utilized to tackle these challenging cases.

Fifty ankles with preoperative coronal-plane tibiotalar valgus deformity of ≥15° “valgus” group) and 50 ankles with valgus deformity of <15° (“control” group) underwent TAR. The cohorts were similar with respect to demographics and components used. All TARs were performed by a single surgeon. The mean duration of clinical follow-up was 5.5 years (minimum two years). Preoperative and postoperative radiographic measurements of coronal-plane deformity, Ankle Osteoarthritis Scale (AOS) scores and Short Form (SF)-36 scores were prospectively recorded. All ancillary (intraoperative) and secondary procedures, complications and measurements were collected.

The AOS pain and disability subscale scores decreased significantly in both groups. The improvement in AOS and SF-36 scores did not differ significantly between the groups at the time of the final follow-up. The valgus group underwent more ancillary procedures during the index surgery (80% vs 26%). Tibio-talar deformity improved significantly toward a normal weight-bearing axis in the valgus group. Secondary postoperative procedures were more common in the valgus group (36%) than the controls (20%). Overall, re-operation was not associated with poorer patient outcome scores. Metal component revision surgery occurred in seven patients (three valgus and four controls). These revisions included two deep infections (2%), one in each group, which were converted to hindfoot fusions. Therefore, 94% of the valgus group retained their original components at final follow-up

Thus far, this is the largest reported study that specifically evaluates TAR with significant preoperative valgus alignment, in addition to having the longest follow-up. Satisfactory midterm results were achieved in patients with valgus mal-alignment of ≥15°. The valgus cohort required more procedures during and after their TAR, as well as receiving more novel techniques to balance their TAR. Whilst longer term studies are needed, valgus coronal-plane alignment of ≥15° should not be considered an absolute contraindication to TAR if the associated deformities are addressed.

Introduction

Angular deformities of the distal femur can be corrected by opening, closing and neutral wedge techniques. Opening wedge (OW) and closing wedge (CW) are popular and well described in the literature. CW and OW techniques lead to leg length difference whereas the advantage of neutral wedge (NW) technique has several unique advantages. NW technique maintains limb length, wedge taken from the closing side is utilised on the opening side and since the angular correction is only half of the measured wedge on either side, translation of distal fragment is minimum. Leg lengths are not altered with this technique hence a useful technique in large deformities. We found no reports of clinical outcomes using NW technique. We present a technique of performing external fixator assisted NW correction of large valgus and varus deformities of distal femur and dual plating and discuss the results.

Purpose

The aim of this study was to compare the accuracy of limb alignment and component positioning after total knee arthroplasty(TKA) performed using fixed or individual distal femoral valgus correction angle(VCA)in valgus knees.

Introduction

Fibula contributes to weight bearing and serves as a lateral buttress to the talus. Fibular shortening leads to ankle valgus, distal tibial epiphyseal wedging and ankle instability. Trauma, infection and skeletal dyplasias are the common causes of fibular shortening in children. Aim was to review this cohort who underwent fibular lengthening and ankle reconstruction

Hallux valgus surgery can result in moderate to severe post-operative pain requiring the use of narcotic medication. The percutaneous distal metatarsal osteotomy is a minimally invasive approach which offers many advantages including minimal scarring, immediate weight bearing and decreased post-operative pain. The goal of this study is to determine whether the use of narcotics can be eliminated using an approach combining multimodal analgesia, ankle block anesthesia and a minimally invasive surgical approach.

Following ethics board approval, a total of 160 ambulatory patients between the ages of 18-70 with BMI ≤ 40 undergoing percutaneous hallux valgus surgery are to be recruited and randomized into Narcotic-free (NF) or Standard (S) groups. To date, 72 patients have been recruited (38 NF and 34 S). The NF group received acetaminophen, naproxen, pregabalin 75mg and 100mg Ralivia (tramadol extended release) before surgery and acetaminophen, naproxen, pregabalin 150mg one dose and Ralivia 100mg BID for five days, as well as a rescue narcotic (hydromorphone, 1mg pills) after surgery. The S group received acetaminophen and naproxen prior to surgery and acetaminophen, naproxen and hydromorphone (1mg pills) post-operatively, our current standard. Visual analog scales (VAS) were used to assess pain and narcotic consumption was recorded at 6, 12, 24, 36, 48, 72 hours and seven days post-operatively. Patients wore a smart watch to record the number of daily steps and sleep hours. A two-sided t-test was used to compare the VAS scores and narcotic consumption.

During the first post-operative week, the NF group consumed in total an average of 6.5 pills while the S group consumed in total an average of 16 pills and this difference was statistically significant (p-value=0.001). Importantly, 19 patients (50%) in the NF group and four patients (12%) in the S group did not consume any narcotics post-operatively.

For the VAS scores at 24, 48, 72 hours and seven days the NF group's average scores were 2.17, 3.17, 2.92, 2.06 respectively and the S group's average scores were 3.97, 4.2, 3.23, 1.97. There was a statistically significant difference between the groups at 24 and 48hours (the NF group scored lower on the VAS) with a p-value of 0.0008 and 0.04 respectively, but this difference is not considered clinically significant as the minimal clinically important difference reported in the literature is a two-point differential. The NF group walked an average of 1985.75 steps/day and slept an average of 8h01 minute/night, while the S group walked an average of 1898.26 steps/day and slept an average of 8h26 minutes/night in the first post-operative week. Hallux valgus remains a common orthopedic foot problem for which surgical treatment results in moderate to severe post-operative pain. This study demonstrates that with the use of multimodal analgesia, ultrasound guided ankle blocks and a percutaneous surgical technique, narcotic requirements decreased post-operatively. The use of long-acting tramadol further decreased the need for narcotic consumption. Despite decreased use of narcotics, this combined novel approach to hallux valgus surgery allows for early mobilization and excellent pain control.

Introduction

Acquiring adaptive soft-tissue balance is one of the most important factors in total knee arthroplasty (TKA). However, there have been few reports regarding to alteration of tolerability of varus/valgus stress between before and after TKA. In particular, there is no enough data about mid-flexion stability. Based on these backgrounds, it is hypothesized that alteration of varus/valgus tolerance may influence post-operative results in TKA. The purpose of this study is an investigation of in vivo kinematic analyses of tolerability of varus/valgus stress before and after TKA, comparing to clinical results.

Deformity correction is a fundamental goal in total knee arthroplasty. Severe valgus deformities often present the surgeon with a complex challenge. These deformities are associated with abnormal bone anatomy, ligament laxity and soft tissue contractures. Distorted bone anatomy is due to bone loss on the lateral femoral condyle, especially posteriorly. To a lesser extent bone loss occurs from the lateral tibia plateau. The AP axis (Whiteside's Line) or epicondylar axis must be used as a rotational landmark in the severely valgus knee. Gap balancing techniques can be helpful in the severely valgus knee, but good extension balance must be obtained before setting femoral rotation with this technique. Coronal alignment is generally corrected to neutral or 2- to 3-degree overcorrection to mild mechanical varus to unload the attenuated medial ligaments.

The goal of soft tissue releases is to obtain rectangular flexion and extension gaps. Soft tissue releases involve the IT band, posterolateral corner/arcuate complex, posterior capsule, LCL, and popliteus tendon. Assessment of which structures is made and then releases are performed. In general, pie crust release of the IT band is sufficient for mild deformity. More severe deformities require release of the posterolateral corner / arcuate and posterior capsule. I prefer a pie crust technique, while Ranawat has described the use of electrocautery to perform these posterior/ posterolateral releases. In most cases the LCL is not released, however, this can be released from the lateral epicondyle, if necessary.

Good ligament balance can be obtained in most cases, however, some cases with severe medial ligament attenuation require additional ligament constraint such as a constrained condylar implant.

Deformity correction is a fundamental goal in total knee arthroplasty. Severe valgus deformities often present the surgeon with a complex challenge. These deformities are associated with abnormal bone anatomy, ligament laxity and soft tissue contractures. Distorted bone anatomy is due to bone loss on the lateral femoral condyle, especially posteriorly. To a lesser extent bone loss occurs from the lateral tibia plateau. The AP Axis (Whiteside's Line) or Epicondylar axis must be used as a rotational landmark in the severely valgus knee. Gap balancing techniques can be helpful in the severely valgus knee, but good extension balance must be obtained before setting femoral rotation with this technique. Coronal alignment is generally corrected to neutral or 2- to 3-degree overcorrection to mild mechanical varus to unload the attenuated medial ligaments.

The goal of soft tissue releases is to obtain rectangular flexion and extension gaps. Soft tissue releases involve the IT band, Posterolateral Corner/Arcuate Complex, Posterior Capsule, LCL, and Popliteus Tendon. Assessment of which structures is made and then releases are performed. In general Pie Crust release of the ITB is sufficient for mild deformity. More severe deformities require release of the Posterolateral Corner/Arcuate Complex and Posterior Capsule. I prefer a pie crust technique, while Ranawat has described the use of electrocautery to perform these posterior/ posterolateral releases. In most cases the LCL is not released, however, this can be released from the lateral epicondyle, if necessary.

Good ligament balance can be obtained in most cases, however, some cases with severe medial ligament attenuation require additional ligament constraint such as a constrained condylar implant.

Introduction

The deformity in osteoarthritis (OA) of the knee has been evaluated mainly in the frontal plane two dimensional X-ray using femorotibial angle. Although the presence of underlying rotational deformity in the varus knee and coexisting hip abnormality in the valgus knee have been suggested, three dimensional (3D) deformities in the varus and valgus knee were still unknown. We evaluated the 3D deformities of the varus and valgus knee using 3D bone models.

Aims

The aim of this retrospective study was to measure and determine variation in VCA between the two limbs in a patient with windswept deformity on preoperative full-length, standing, hip-to-ankle radiographs. We hypothesised that there will be significant difference in VCA between the two limbs of a patient with arthritic windswept deformity and therefore it is necessary to individualise VCA for each limb preoperatively on full-length radiographs during TKA.

Precise biomechanical knowledge of individual components of the MCL is critical for proper MCL release during TKA. This study was to define the influences of the deep MCL and the POL on valgus and rotatory stability in TKA using six cadaveric knees with sequential sectioning sequence. A CT-free navigation system monitored motion after application of valgus loads and internal and external rotation torques at 0°, 20°, 30°, 60°, and 90°of knee flexion. Significant increases of rotatory instability were seen on release of the deep MCL. And, rotatory instability further increased after release of the POL. Surgical approach of retaining the deep MCL and POL has a possibility to improve the outcome after primary TKA.