Bicruciate-retaining total knee arthroplasty: a review

Area of Science:

• Orthopedic Surgery
• Biomedical Engineering
• Knee Biomechanics

Background:

• Total knee arthroplasty (TKA) demonstrates excellent long-term outcomes.
• Changing patient demographics raise questions about conventional TKA in young, active individuals.
• Bicruciate-retaining prostheses aim to replicate natural knee function during high activity.

Purpose of the Study:

• To review the history, kinematics, clinical outcomes, concerns, and future of bicruciate-retaining knee arthroplasty.
• To evaluate the suitability of bicruciate-retaining implants for active patient populations.
• To compare bicruciate-retaining TKA with traditional anterior cruciate ligament-sacrificing TKA.

Main Methods:

• Literature review of existing studies on bicruciate-retaining knee arthroplasty.
• Analysis of biomechanical principles and kinematic data.
• Synthesis of clinical outcome data, including function and survivorship.

Main Results:

• Prior studies indicate bicruciate-retaining TKA achieves results similar to anterior cruciate ligament-sacrificing TKA.
• These prostheses show potential for improved function in highly active patients.
• Few bicruciate-retaining prostheses are currently in widespread clinical use.

Conclusions:

• Bicruciate-retaining arthroplasty is a promising option for active patients requiring knee replacement.
• Further research and development are needed to optimize these implants.
• These prostheses may offer a biomechanically superior alternative to conventional TKA for select patient groups.