The scientific basis for total knee arthroscopy (TKA) has had an interesting and exciting journey over the last five decades. A few pragmatic and visionary surgeons laid foundational principles, moderated the designs, and founded this specialty. I have no doubt…
Surgical complication is defined as “any undesirable, unintended and direct result of an operation affecting the patient, which would not have occurred had the operation gone as well as could reasonably be hoped.” (p. 942) The rate of complications or…
“There is no excuse for poor cement technique!” This quote was heard quite often from Dr. Krackow, and in every case he paid close attention to detail during this step of the total knee arthroscopy (TKA) procedure. Much has changed…
The critical determinants of successful, durable total knee arthroplasty (TKA) are correct positioning of the implanted components, acceptable alignment of the knee with weight-bearing, and restoration of normal stability during functional activities without the need for excessive muscular activation. Although…
Introduction Knee arthroplasty was in its infancy in India in the 90s, when I returned from overseas having done hundreds of fairly straightforward cases, to start practice in India. I was accosted with patients with profound knee deformities, and I…
Dr. Krackow was a stickler for precision, and he was relentlessly thinking about how to make his bone-cutting techniques more reproducible and precise. This chapter on bone-cutting technique and accuracy is inspired from much of the teaching and direction he…
Primary total knee arthroplasty (TKA) starts with the surgical approach and then moves to a step-wise approach, which includes bony preparation, osteophyte removal, soft tissue balancing, and implant placement. This chapter details an in-depth discussion of soft tissue balancing, and…
Introduction When the first edition of this book was released, primary total knee arthroplasty (TKA) was a procedure that had a mean length of stay of around 7 days. Dr. Krackow was a pioneer and advanced the issues pertaining to…
There is no straightforward answer as to “when to pull the trigger” and offer surgery to a patient with severe knee disease. Surgeons would require a patient to report chronic knee pain and has functional impairment before they proceed with…
Although surgery cannot be compared with war, Sun Tzu’s philosophies, as written in The Art of War , have been used often in other fields, such as business, politics, and sports. Perhaps some of his principles can be applied when…