As advancements in total knee arthroplasty progress at an exciting pace, two areas are of special interest, as they directly impact implant design and surgical decision making. Knee morphometry considers the three-dimensional shape of the articulating surfaces within the knee joint, and knee phenotyping provides the ability to categorize alignment into practical groupings that can be used in both clinical and research settings. This annotation discusses the details of these concepts, and the ways in which they are helping us better understand the individual subtleties of each patient’s knee. Cite this article:
The development and pre-clinical evaluation of
nano-texturised, biomimetic, surfaces of titanium (Ti) implants treated
with titanium dioxide (TiO. 2. ) nanotube arrays is reviewed. In
vitro and in vivo evaluations show that
TiO. 2. nanotubes on Ti surfaces positively affect the osseointegration,
cell differentiation, mineralisation, and anti-microbial properties.
This surface treatment can be superimposed onto existing macro and
micro porous Ti implants creating a surface texture that also interacts
with cells at the nano level. Histology and mechanical pull-out testing
of specimens in rabbits indicate that TiO. 2. nanotubes
improves bone bonding nine-fold (p = 0.008). The rate of mineralisation
associated with TiO. 2. nanotube surfaces is about three
times that of non-treated Ti surfaces. In addition to improved osseointegration
properties, TiO. 2. nanotubes reduce the initial adhesion
and colonisation of Staphylococcus epidermidis.
Collectively, the properties of Ti
