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Abnormal Axial Rotations in TKA Contribute to Reduced Weightbearing Flexion.

Clin Orthop Relat Res. 2013 Jul 27;

Authors: Meccia B, Komistek RD, Mahfouz M, Dennis D

Abstract
BACKGROUND: Previous in vivo fluoroscopy studies have documented that axial rotation for patients having a TKA was significantly less than those having a normal knee. In fact, many subjects having a TKA experience a reverse axial rotation pattern where the femur internally rotates with increasing flexion. However, no previous studies have been conducted to determine if this reverse axial rotation pattern affects TKA performance.
QUESTIONS/PURPOSES: The purposes of this study were: (1) Do normal and reverse axial rotation patterns of a TKA affect the maximum flexion angle postoperatively? (2) Does the axial rotation angle of the knee at maximum flexion during weightbearing impact the magnitude of the maximum flexion achieved in weightbearing?
METHODS: One hundred twenty patients having TKA, previously analyzed under in vivo conditions using fluoroscopy and a three-dimensional model-fitting software package, were further evaluated to determine if reverse axial rotation patterns limit weightbearing TKA flexion. In this retrospective cohort, we identified 58 patients who had a normal axial rotation pattern (greater than 15° normal rotation). Sixty-two patients experienced greater than 3° of reverse axial rotation, defined as internal rotation of the femur