The effect of femoral component rotation on patellar tracking in total knee arthroplasty

Orthopedics. 2007 Nov;30(11):965-7. doi: 10.3928/01477447-20071101-15.

Abstract

Rotational adjustment of the femoral component in total knee arthroplasty influences patellar tracking. Sixty patients underwent TKA; the femoral component was placed parallel to the epicondylar axis in 30 patients and the femoral component was placed in 3 degrees external rotation to the posterior condylar axis in 30 patients. The epicondylar axis was identified using an image-guided navigation system. Mean patellar shift was 2.65 degrees for the computer assisted group and 3.50 degrees for the control group. Mean patellar tilt was 4.88 degrees for the computer assisted group and 6.68 degrees for the control group. Aligning the femoral component parallel to the epicondylar axis leads to significantly better patellar tracking.

Publication types

  • Randomized Controlled Trial

MeSH terms

  • Adult
  • Aged
  • Aged, 80 and over
  • Arthroplasty, Replacement, Knee*
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Knee Prosthesis*
  • Male
  • Middle Aged
  • Patella / diagnostic imaging*
  • Patella / physiopathology
  • Prosthesis Fitting
  • Range of Motion, Articular / physiology
  • Rotation
  • Surgery, Computer-Assisted*
  • Tomography, X-Ray Computed