Total Knee Arthroplasty

A fixed flexion contracture can result from several disease processes, including osteoarthritis, rheumatoid arthritis, and posttraumatic arthritis. Often a common pathway starts with pain and leads to decreased motion and posterior capsular scarring. The scarring promoted by the inflammatory component…

Among the goals of total knee arthroplasty (TKA) are relief of pain and restoration of function. Adequate range of motion is necessary for return to certain activities. For example, to walk normally on level ground, a person needs 70 degrees…

Patellofemoral complications once accounted for as much as 50% of complications after total knee arthroplasty (TKA). These statistics come from arthroplasties performed in the 1980s and early 1990s. With improvements in surgical technique and prosthetic design, the incidence has decreased,…

The typical patient with a severe valgus deformity is an elderly woman ( Fig. 4.1 ). She usually is in her seventh or eighth decade and reports that she has had “knock-knees” her entire life. She also may give a…

Severe varus deformity appears to have no predilection for male or female patients. Typically, patients report some varus alignment in their knees since childhood and may have a history of medial meniscectomy. The deformity gradually progresses, and the patient may…

I have tried to make the surgical technique of primary total knee arthroplasty (TKA) as generic as possible. Obviously, TKA systems will vary in terms of instrumentation and nuances of surgical technique. Some differences will also exist between posterior cruciate…