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Background: Although bicruciate stabilized total knee arthroplasty (BCS-TKA) is expected to provide kinematics similar to those of the normal knee, there are limited data available for comparison of the kinematics of the knee after BCS-TKA with those of the normal knee. The purpose of this study was to confirm whether the knee after BCS-TKA are the same as those of the native knee., Methods: Seven fresh-frozen cadavers underwent TKA using a BCS-type prosthesis with navigation system. Anteroposterior translation of the femur and internal rotation of the tibia were evaluated using the navigation system., Results: There was no statistically significant difference in anteroposterior translation of the femur between the native knee and the knee after BCS-TKA in the early flexion phase (0°-30°) or in the deep flexion phase (over 100°). In the middle flexion phase (40°-90°), the knee after BCS-TKA was placed significantly more anteriorly than the native knee. The knee after BCS-TKA also showed a gradual internal rotation pattern similar to that of the native knee but the total tibial internal rotation angle was significantly smaller than that of the native knee. At each angle from 0° to 120° of flexion, internal rotation of the knee after BCS-TKA was significantly greater than that of the native knee., Conclusion: Kinematics of BCS-TKA is close to that of the native knee. However, there is a statistically significant difference in AP position of the femur during mid flexion and initial rotational position of the tibia between the BCS-TKA knee and the native knee., Competing Interests: Declaration of Competing Interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2023 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Background: Soft tissue balancing in bicruciate-retaining (BCR) total knee arthroplasty (TKA) is a challenge that must be overcome to achieve excellent clinical outcomes. However, the optimal degree of joint laxity has yet to be clarified. This cadaveric study sought to examine joint laxity after BCR TKA using a navigation system., Methods: Knee joint laxity was quantified using an image-free navigation system in 8 intact fresh frozen cadavers under three conditions: the native knee, BCR TKA knee, and BCR TKA knee after anterior cruciate ligament resection. Rotational kinematics in the BCR TKA knee during flexion were compared according to whether joint laxity was increased or decreased., Results: Knee joint laxity after BCR TKA under varus-valgus movement, anterior translation, and internal-external rotation loadings was similar to that of the native knee. However, lateral joint laxity was decreased during flexion in some cases. BCR TKA-treated knees with decreased lateral joint laxity at 90° of flexion demonstrated more limited tibial internal rotation in deep flexion than the native knee (p < 0.05). The loss of internal rotation in deep flexion was partly recovered by using a lateral insert with a posterior slope of +3°., Conclusions: Restoring optimal joint laxity was not always straightforward in BCR TKA if the 4 ligaments were preserved. Lateral joint laxity was potentially decreased in BCR TKA and may result in kinematic conflict during flexion. Surgeons should be aware of the need to achieve sufficient lateral joint laxity in this type of BCR TKA., Competing Interests: Declaration of Competing Interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2021 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to test the hypotheses that the joint distraction force changes the three-dimensional articulation between the femur and the tibia and that the presence of posterior cruciate ligament (PCL) affects the three-dimensional articulation during joint gap evaluation in total knee arthroplasty (TKA)., Methods: Cruciate-retaining TKA procedures were performed on 6 cadaveric knees using a navigation system. The joint center gap and varus ligament balance were measured using Offset Repo-Tensor ® with the knee at 90° of flexion before and after PCL resection for joint distraction forces of 89, 178, and 266 N. The three-dimensional location of the tibia relative to the femur and the axial rotational angle of the tibia were also assessed., Results: Regardless of PCL resection, the joint center gap became larger (p = 0.002, p = 0.020) and varus ligament balance became more varus (p = 0.002, p = 0.002) with increasing joint distraction force, whereas the tibia was more internally rotated (p = 0.015, p = 0.009) and more anteriorly located (p = 0.004, p = 0.009). The tibia was more internally rotated (p = 0.015) and more posteriorly located (p = 0.026) after PCL resection than before resection., Conclusions: Joint distraction force changed three-dimensional articulation regardless of PCL preservation. PCL function was revealed as a factor restraining both tibial posterior translation and internal rotation. Surgeons should recognize that joint gap evaluation using a tensor device is subject to three-dimensional changes depending on the magnitude of the joint distraction force.

Purpose: The aim of this study was to test the hypothesis that the medial constrained insert would reproduce the native knee kinematics after bicruciate-retaining (BCR) total knee arthroplasty (TKA)., Methods: Using an image-free navigation system in six fresh-frozen whole-body cadavers, the rotation angle of the tibia at minimum flexion, at 10° intervals from 0° to 130° flexion, and at maximum flexion during manual passive knee flexion was assessed. The data was collected in native knees, in BCR TKA using a normal flat insert (BCR-XP), and in BCR TKA using a more constrained insert in the medial side (BCR-AS). The differences in the rotation angle of the tibia were statistically evaluated., Results: The rotation angles of the tibia in BCR-XP were significantly different from those of the native knees both in the early flexion phase (p = 0.002 at minimum knee flexion, p = 0.002 at 0°, p = 0.041 at 10°, p = 0.009 at 20°, p = 0.026 at 30°) and in the late flexion phase (p = 0.015 at 130°, p = 0.015 at maximum knee flexion), whereas the rotational angles of the tibia in BCR-AS were similar to those of the native knee., Conclusion: This study shows that the rotational kinematics of the native knee is reproduced after BCR TKA with the medial constrained insert. Surgeons and implant designers should be aware that constraint of the medial side in BCR TKA is a crucial factor for restoration of native kinematics which may lead to better clinical outcome.

The aim of this cadaveric study was to evaluate the intraoperative kinematics of the native knee including two-dimensional translation of the femur using a navigation system. Eight native knees of 4 fresh-frozen whole-body cadavers were used for the study. The kinematics of each knee were analyzed intraoperatively using the navigation system. Although anterior-posterior translation could not be assessed directly, it could be calculated using a formula derived from the parameters in the navigation system. The native knee showed external rotation of the femur in early knee flexion, transient internal rotation in mid flexion, and gradual external rotation in late flexion. There was no marked change in the coronal rotation angle of the mechanical axis during knee flexion. The femoral center moved anteriorly in early knee flexion and posteriorly in late flexion. The distance moved in the medial-lateral direction was relatively smaller than that in the anterior-posterior direction. Two-dimensional translation of the surgical epicondylar axis showed a medial pivot-like motion. In this cadaveric study, the kinematics of the native knee, including two-dimensional translation of the femur, could be satisfactorily assessed intraoperatively using a navigation system. The intraoperative kinematics of the knee can be analyzed in more detail using this methodology. J. Med. Invest. 66 : 367-371, August, 2019.

Purpose: The aim of this study was to compare the intraoperative kinematics of medial and lateral unicompartmental knee arthroplasty (UKA) with those of the native knee using a navigation system., Methods: Six fresh-frozen cadaveric knees were included in the study. Medial UKA was performed in all right knees and lateral UKA was performed in all left knees. All UKA procedures were performed with a computerised navigation system. The tibial internal rotation angle and coronal alignment of the mechanical axis during passive knee flexion were assessed as rotational and varus/valgus kinematics before and after surgery using the navigation system., Results: The rotation angles of the tibia in the early flexion phase of medial UKA were significantly larger than those of native knees (p = 0.008 at minimum knee flexion, p = 0.008 at 0° knee flexion). The rotational kinematics of lateral UKA was similar to those of the native knees throughout knee flexion. There were no significant differences in varus/valgus kinematics between native and UKA knees., Conclusion: The rotational kinematics of the native knee was not restored after medial UKA but was preserved after lateral UKA. There were no significant differences in the varus/valgus kinematics after either medial or lateral UKA when compared with those of the native knees. Thus, the geometry of the medial tibial articular surface is a determinant of the ability to restore the rotational kinematics of the native knee. Surgeons and implant designers should be aware that the anatomical medial articular geometry is an important factor in restoration of the native knee kinematics after knee arthroplasty.

Purpose: To compare the kinematics between native knees and knees that have undergone bicruciate-retaining (BCR) total knee arthroplasty (TKA) with cruciate-retaining (CR) TKA converted from BCR TKA in the same whole-body cadaveric specimen using a navigation system and, if differences exist, to investigate the point at which normal kinematics are lost during the procedure., Methods: The rotational kinematics throughout passive flexion of the native knee and of knees after meniscectomy, femoral replacement, BCR TKA, or CR TKA were assessed in nine fresh frozen cadavers using an image-free navigation system., Results: The rotational kinematic pattern of a knee after BCR TKA was different from that of a native knee, especially in the early flexion phase, and was similar to that after CR TKA. Screw-home movement was not observed after BCR TKA, but still occurred after meniscectomy or femoral replacement with intact cruciate ligaments and an intact tibial articular surface., Conclusion: The rotational kinematics of the native knee are not always preserved after BCR TKA. Native rotational kinematics are preserved after meniscectomy and femoral replacement, but are lost after tibial replacement in BCR TKA. Surgeons should pay close attention to maintain the anteroposterior stabilizing function of the ACL in BCR TKA, rather than to restore the native rotational kinematics.

Rotational alignment of the femoral component in total knee arthroplasty (TKA) is important for patellar tracking and ligament balance. Preoperative planning based on radiography might have a potential risk for over-rotation because these X-ray based measurements can not detect asymmetric cartilage wear on posterior condyle. The purpose of this study is to evaluate the effect of the posterior condylar cartilage of varus osteoarthritic knee on rotational alignment of the femoral component in TKA. We established two different condylar twist angles (CTA) from intraoperative multiplanar reconstruction (MPR) images and intraoperative information of navigation system. The CTA measured by a navigation system that includes the cartilage (4.8±2.0°) was smaller than those measured by MPR images, which does not include the cartilage (6.6±2.1°) (p<0.05). The difference between these two angles that corresponds to the remaining posterior condylar cartilage was 1.7±1.2°. This result demonstrated that the posterior condylar cartilage might lead to over-rotational of the femoral component in varus osteoarthritic knee. Therefore, when determining rotational alignment of the femoral component, surgeons should consider the effect of the remaining posterior condylar cartilage to avoid the over-rotation of the femoral component, especially in severe varus knees. J. Med. Invest. 64: 24-29, February, 2016.

In this report, we present a case of a 64-year-old woman who underwent revision of knee arthroplasty after failed unicompartmental knee arthroplasty (UKA). She underwent UKA (Biomet Oxford Phase 3) for right localized medial knee pain at the age of 53 and the postoperative course had been uneventful. Eight years after UKA, she had right knee pain that gradually worsened. Tenderness was present over the medial femorotibial and patellofemoral (PF) joints. Plain radiograph showed small osteophytes on the intercondylar eminence and in the lateral compartment. However, these findings were not severe. Although several causes of knee pain after UKA have been reported, none of those causes were found in this case, so the diagnosis of unexplained pain was made. We performed knee arthroscopy and it revealed severe osteoarthritis of the PF joint, bone attrition and exposure of subchondral bone of the medial part of the lateral condyle together with severe synovitis. Revision surgery was performed in the same operation. The postoperative course was excellent and the severe knee pain resolved after surgery. Several registries revealed that revision for unexplained pain was more common after UKA than after total knee arthroplasty. We pointed out the possible causes of unexplained pain including pathological conditions, which were present in our case. Revision surgery may be unsuccessful if the cause of failure is not adequately considered.

Patellar dislocation is a well-recognized major complication after total knee arthroplasty (TKA). Treatment of this injury is determined according to the cause of the dislocation. In particular, proximal realignment, distal realignment, and lateral retinaculum release are options if patellar instability is not caused by prosthetic malposition. Here we report a case of patellar dislocation following TKA due to rupture of the medial structures that was treated by medial patellofemoral ligament reconstruction and lateral retinacular release. In addition, we provide a brief review of the related literature.