Knee joint loading and tibial component loosening : RSA and gait analysis in 45 osteoarthritic patients before and after TKA

• Published in: Journal of bone and joint surgery. British volume Vol. 78; no. 1; pp. 66 - 73
• Main Authors: HILDING, M. B, LANSHAMMAR, H, RYD, L
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: London British Editorial Society of Bone and Joint Surgery 1996; British Editorial Society of Bone & Joint Surgery
• Edition: British volume
• Subjects: Aged; Biological and medical sciences; Biomechanical Phenomena; Follow-Up Studies; Gait; Humans; Knee Joint - diagnostic imaging; Knee Joint - physiopathology; Knee Prosthesis; Medical sciences; Middle Aged; Orthopedic surgery; Osteoarthritis - diagnostic imaging; Osteoarthritis - physiopathology; Osteoarthritis - surgery; Photogrammetry; Prospective Studies; Prosthesis Failure; Radiography; Risk Factors; Surgery (general aspects). Transplantations, organ and tissue grafts. Graft diseases; Walking; Human; Desinsertion; Knee; Prosthesis; Migration; Diseases of the osteoarticular system; Lower limb; Joint; Biomechanics; Plasty; Locomotion; Walking; Treatment; Surgery; Risk factor; Arthropathy; Complication; Degenerative disease; Osteoarthritis; Elderly; Stereophotogrammetry
• ISSN: 0301-620X; 2049-4394; 2044-5377; 2049-4408
• DOI: 10.1302/0301-620x.78b1.0780066

We report a prospective study of gait and tibial component migration in 45 patients with osteoarthritis treated by total knee arthroplasty (TKA). Migration was measured over two years using roentgen stereophotogrammetry. We used the previously established threshold of 200 microm migration in the second postoperative year to distinguish two groups: a risk group of 15 patients and a stable group of 28 patients. We performed gait analysis before operation and at six months and at two years after TKA. On all three occasions we found significant differences between the two groups in the mean sagittal plane moments of the knee joint. The risk group walked with higher peak flexion moments than the stable group. The two groups were not discriminated by any clinical or radiological criteria or other gait characteristics. The relationship which we have found between gait with increased flexion moments and risk of tibial component loosening warrants further study as regards the aetiology of prosthetic loosening and possible methods of influencing its incidence.