Extra-articular deformity correction using Taylor spatial frame prior to total knee arthroplasty

Area of Science:

• Orthopedic Surgery
• Biomechanical Engineering
• Reconstructive Surgery

Background:

• Total knee arthroplasty (TKA) success depends on restoring mechanical axis and soft tissue balance.
• Extra-articular tibial deformity in secondary knee osteoarthritis complicates TKA, leading to unpredictable results and higher revision rates.
• Single-stage correction and replacement often necessitate constrained implants.

Purpose of the Study:

• To describe the experience and advantages of a staged approach for TKA in patients with extra-articular tibial deformity.
• To evaluate the use of the Taylor Spatial Frame (TSF) for pre-arthroplasty deformity correction.
• To present a novel technique not previously described in the literature for managing complex tibial deformities prior to TKA.

Main Methods:

• A staged protocol involving deformity correction with a Taylor Spatial Frame (TSF) followed by total knee arthroplasty.
• Treatment of three patients with secondary knee osteoarthritis and multiplanar tibial deformity.
• Assessment of deformity correction and union prior to arthroplasty.

Main Results:

• Successful treatment of three cases using the staged TSF correction followed by TKA.
• All patients demonstrated improved Knee Society and Oxford Knee scores postoperatively.
• Patients reported high satisfaction with their TKA outcomes.

Conclusions:

• Staged deformity correction using TSF prior to TKA enables the use of standard primary arthroplasty implants with predictable results.
• This approach offers flexible aftercare and potentially improves patient symptoms, possibly deferring the need for arthroplasty.
• The staged method provides a viable and effective solution for complex knee osteoarthritis with tibial deformities.