In vivo polyethylene bearing mobility is maintained in posterior stabilized total knee arthroplasty

In vivo knee kinematics, including polyethylene bearing mobility, were determined in a group of nine patients implanted with a posterior stabilized, mobile-bearing total knee arthroplasty. Each patient, while under fluoroscopic surveillance, did a weightbearing deep knee bend and was analyzed using a 3-D computer model-fitting technique. Patients were evaluated at three and 15 months postoperatively. All nine patients had polyethylene bearing rotation relative to the tibial tray at both times, with the maximum amount of polyethylene bearing rotation at any flexion interval averaging 8.5 (range, 5.2-15.5) and 9.8 (range, 4.8-14.2) at 3 and 15 months, respectively. Minimal rotation of the polyethylene bearing relative to the femoral component was observed, averaging only 1.9 and 1.0 of rotation from full extension to maximum knee flexion at three and 15 months, respectively. This study determined that the polyethylene bearing is primarily rotating relative to the tibia rather than the femoral component. Therefore, as the femoral component axially rotates, the polyethylene bearing is rotating a similar magnitude in the same direction. This should result in reduced shear stresses on the superior aspect of the polyethylene bearing, lessening polyethylene wear.