Correlation between frontal knee alignment and bone resection thicknesses during total knee arthroplasty without...

Area of Science:

• Orthopedic Surgery
• Biomechanical Engineering
• Medical Imaging

Background:

• Accurate knee alignment is crucial for successful total knee arthroplasty (TKA) outcomes and implant longevity.
• While robotic systems enhance precision, many TKAs are performed using conventional instrumentation.
• Understanding the relationship between bone resections and alignment correction is vital for improving surgical techniques.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the correlation between bone resection thickness and frontal plane alignment changes in TKA.
• To establish a relationship between tibial resection and medial proximal tibial angle modification.
• To assess the correlation between distal femoral resection and lateral distal femoral angle modification.

Main Methods:

• Retrospective analysis of 130 TKA patients undergoing surgery without robotic assistance.
• Measurement of intraoperative bone cuts and collection of pre- and postoperative alignment data (goniometry, AP radiographs).
• Statistical analysis, including Spearman's correlation, to evaluate relationships between resection measurements and angular parameters.

Main Results:

• A moderate linear correlation (r=0.553) was found between tibial resection (ΔT) and medial proximal tibial angle modification (ΔMPTA(g)).
• Weak positive correlations were observed between ΔT and ΔMPTA on AP radiographs (r=0.505).
• A weak correlation was noted between distal femoral resection (ΔDF) and lateral distal femoral angle modification (ΔLDFA(g) r=0.350; ΔLDFA(s) r=0.187).

Conclusions:

• Tibial resection thickness shows a moderate correlation with coronal plane angular correction in conventional TKA.
• Significant variability in results suggests that this correlation alone is insufficient for surgical planning.
• Further research may explore other factors influencing alignment correction in TKA.