Effect of Posterior Femoral Condylar Offset and Posterior Tibial Slope on Maximal Flexion Angle of the Knee in Posterior Cruciate Ligament Sacrificing Total Knee Arthroplasty

ABSTRACT

PURPOSE: To evaluate the effect of femoral condylar offset and posterior tibial slope on maximal flexion angle of the knee in posterior cruciate ligament (PCL)-sacrificing total knee arthroplasty (TKA, Medial-Pivot Knee System). MATERIALS AND METHODS: Forty-five knees in 35 patients who could be followed up more than 1 year after PCL-sacrificing TKA were evaluated retrospectively. We measured and analyzed the preoperative and postoperative maximal flexion angle, posterior femoral condylar offset difference, posterior femoral condylar offset ratio difference, and tibial slope. RESULTS: The mean maximal flexion angle after TKA was 118.44degrees+/-9.8degrees and significantly related to postoperative tibial slope (11.78degrees+/-6.2degrees) in correlation analysis (R=0.451, p=0.002). There was no statistical relationship between the postoperative maximal flexion angle and the posterior femoral condylar offset difference (3.24+/-3.862 mm, R=0.105, p=0.493) and posterior femoral condylar offset ratio difference (0.039+/-0.029 mm, R=-0.163, p=0.284). CONCLUSIONS: The maximal flexion angle of the knee after PCL-sacrificing TKA was significantly related to the postoperative tibial slope. Therefore, posterior tibial slope can be considered as a factor that affects maximal flexion angle after PCL-sacrificing TKA.