The functional flexion-extension axis of the knee corresponds to the surgical epicondylar axis: in vivo analysis using a biplanar image-matching technique

We investigated the concept that the knee has a fixed flexion-extension axis in the posterior femoral condyles and that this functional axis corresponds to the surgical epicondylar axis in vivo. We used a biplanar image-matching technique to perform the in vivo analysis of 9 normal knees to determine the location of the functional flexion-extension axis of the knee using an optimization technique. The functional flexion-extension axis passed through the sulcus of the medial epicondyle and the prominence of the lateral epicondyle. Flexion and extension of the knee could be represented as a rotation around a fixed axis, and this functional axis corresponded to the surgical epicondylar axis during a 0 degrees to 90 degrees flexion. This study assists more understanding of knee kinematics and provides useful information for the design and positioning of the prostheses used in total knee arthroplasty.     

In vivo pre- and postoperative three-dimensional knee kinematics in unicompartmental knee arthroplasty

Background

Pre- and postoperative knee kinematics in unicompartmental knee arthroplasty (UKA) can be theoretically related to clinical outcome and longevity after UKA with regard to ligament function and the degree of arthritic changes. However, the preoperative knee kinematics of patients indicated for UKA remain to be elucidated, and it is also unclear whether the preoperative kinematics can be maintained by the UKA procedure. The objective of this study was to examine the in vivo pre- and postoperative three-dimensional knee kinematics in UKA while referencing the normal knee kinematics reported in our previous study.

Methods

We analyzed the knee kinematics in 17 knees (14 patients) undergoing UKA via a three-dimensional to two-dimensional registration technique employing femoral condylar translation and femoral axial rotation. The pre- and postoperative knee kinematics during squat motion were evaluated in the same subjects, employing consistent evaluation parameters.

Results

On average, both pre- and postoperative knee kinematics in the range 10–100° of knee flexion demonstrated near-consistent femoral external rotation and anterior translation of the medial condyle and posterior translation of the lateral condyle. However, the mean femoral external rotation angle and the posterior translation of the lateral condyle postoperatively were significantly smaller than the values observed preoperatively.

Discussion

Although the patterns of preoperative knee motion were similar to those seen in normal knees, the magnitude of this motion varied widely between patients, so it was not necessarily representative of normal knees. These variations may be due to the varying degrees of arthritic changes caused by osteoarthritis. Although the patterns of knee kinematics were largely maintained by the UKA procedure, the causes of the significant reductions in the magnitude of motion upon performing the UKA procedure should be investigated in subsequent studies with a larger number of patients.     

In vivo three-dimensional kinematics of total elbow arthroplasty using fluoroscopic imaging

Higher complication rates and lower survivorship are still seen for total elbow arthroplasties compared to total knee and hip arthroplasties. This is partly due to polyethylene wear of the articular surface induced by excessive articular contact stress during elbow motion. The aim of this study was to dynamically evaluate in vivo three-dimensional elbow motion after total elbow arthroplasty. Twelve patients (15 elbows) who underwent operation with the Osaka University Model Total Elbow System were analysed using X-ray fluoroscopic imaging and a two-dimensional/three-dimensional registration technique, which could accurately estimate the three-dimensional spatial position of components. Valgus/varus angle and rotation between humeral and ulnar components showed wide variations among patients. Elbows with valgus angle and internal rotation >10° could induce edge-loading of the articular surface. Component alignment, articular configuration, and soft-tissue balance can affect the kinematics of total elbow arthroplasty.     

In vivo kinematics of mobile-bearing knee arthroplasty in deep knee bending motion.

The current study aimed to analyze kinematics during deep knee bending motion by subjects with fully congruent mobile-bearing total knee arthroplasties allowing axial rotation and anteroposterior (AP) gliding. Twelve subjects were implanted with Dual Bearing Knee prostheses (DBK, slot type: Finsbury Orthopaedics, Surrey, UK). These implants include a mobile-bearing insert that is fully congruent with the femoral component throughout flexion and allows axial rotation and limited AP translation. Sequential fluoroscopic images were taken in the sagittal plane during loaded knee bending motion. In vivo kinematics were analyzed using a two- to three-dimensional registration technique, which uses computer-assisted design models to reproduce the spatial position of femoral and tibial components from single-view fluoroscopic images. The average femoral component demonstrated 13.4 degrees external axial rotation for 0-120 degrees flexion. On average, the medial condyle moved anteriorly 6.2 mm for 0-100 degrees flexion, then posteriorly 4.0 mm for 100-120 degrees flexion. On average, the lateral condyle moved anteriorly 1.0 mm for 0-40 degrees flexion, then posteriorly 8.7 mm for 40-120 degrees flexion. The typical subject exhibited a lateral pivot pattern from extension to 60 degrees flexion and a central pivot pattern from 60 degrees to 100 degrees flexion, patterns that are not usually observed in normal knees. Subsequently from 100 degrees to 120 degrees flexion, a rollback pattern was reproduced in which bilateral condyles moved backward.     

In vivo knee kinematics during high flexion after a posterior-substituting total knee arthroplasty

The objective of this study was to investigate biomechanics of TKA patients during high flexion. Six patients (seven knees) with a posterior-substituting TKA and weight-bearing flexion >130° were included in the study. The six degree-of-freedom kinematics, tibiofemoral contact, and cam-post contact were measured during a deep knee bend using dual-plane fluoroscopy. The patients achieved average weight-bearing flexion of 139.5 ± 4.5°. Posterior femoral translation and internal tibial rotation increased steadily beyond 90° flexion, and a sharp increase in varus rotation was noted at maximum flexion. Initial cam-post engagement was observed at 100.3 ± 6.7° flexion. Five knees had cam-post disengagement before maximum flexion. Lateral femoral condylar lift-off was found in five out of seven knees at maximum flexion, and medial condylar lift-off was found in one knee. Future studies should investigate if the kinematic characteristics of posterior-substituting TKA knees noted in this study are causative factors of high knee flexion.

Electronic Supplementary Material

The online version of this article (doi:10.1007/s00264-009-0777-2) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorised users.     

In vivo kinematics of the ACL during weight-bearing knee flexion.

No study has investigated the three-dimensional morphological changes of the anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) during functional activities in vivo. The purpose of this study was to analyze the elongation, rotation (twist), and orientation of the ACL during weight-bearing flexion in five human subjects using dual-orthogonal fluoroscopic images and MR image-based computer models. The ACL consistently decreased in length with flexion. At 90 degrees , the length decreased by 10% compared to its length at full extension. The ACL twisted internally by only 20 degrees at 30 degrees of flexion. The ACL was oriented more vertically (approximately 60 degrees ) and slightly laterally (approximately 10 degrees ) at low flexion angles. These data on in vivo ligament elongation demonstrate that the ACL plays a more important role in lower flexion angles than at higher flexion angles during weight-bearing flexion. These data also suggest that successful ACL reconstruction should not only restore the ligament's elongation behavior, but also its rotational and orientation characteristics, so that normal ACL biomechanics are restored.     

In vivo kinematics of a robot-assisted uni- and multi-compartmental knee arthroplasty

Background

There is great interest in providing reliable and durable treatments for one- and two-compartment arthritic degeneration of the cruciate-ligament intact knee. One approach is to resurface only the diseased compartments with discrete unicompartmental components, retaining the undamaged compartment(s). However, placing multiple small implants into the knee presents a greater surgical challenge than total knee arthroplasty, so it is not certain that the natural knee mechanics can be maintained or restored. The goal of this study was to determine whether near-normal knee kinematics can be obtained with a robot-assisted multi-compartmental knee arthroplasty.

Methods

Thirteen patients with 15 multi-compartmental knee arthroplasties using haptic robotic-assisted bone preparation were involved in this study. Nine subjects received a medial unicompartmental knee arthroplasty (UKA), three subjects received a medial UKA and patellofemoral (PF) arthroplasty, and three subjects received medial and lateral bi-unicondylar arthroplasty. Knee motions were recorded using video-fluoroscopy an average of 13 months (6–29 months) after surgery during stair and kneeling activities. The three-dimensional position and orientation of the implant components were determined using model-image registration techniques.

Results

Knee kinematics during maximum flexion kneeling showed femoral external rotation and posterior lateral condylar translation. All knees showed femoral external rotation and posterior condylar translation with flexion during the step activity. Knees with medial UKA and PF arthroplasty showed the most femoral external rotation and posterior translation, and knees with bicondylar UKA showed the least.

Conclusions

Knees with accurately placed uni- or bi-compartmental arthroplasty exhibited stable knee kinematics consistent with intact and functioning cruciate ligaments. The patterns of tibiofemoral motion were more similar to natural knees than commonly has been observed in knees with total knee arthroplasty. Larger series are required to confirm these as general observations, but the present results demonstrate the potential to restore or maintain closer-to-normal knee kinematics by retaining intact structures and compartments.     

Noninvasive technique for measuring in vivo three-dimensional carpal bone kinematics

Our present knowledge of the three-dimensional kinematic behavior of skeletal joints has been largely acquired with cadaveric models and use of invasive monitoring. In the wrist, the small size and complex motion of the carpal bones present a difficult challenge for implanted internal or external marker systems. This paper describes a technique for quantifying the three-dimensional kinematics of the wrist and carpal bones in vivo using noninvasive computed tomographic imaging. An error analysis employing a cadaveric specimen suggests that noninvasive carpal kinematics can be measured with an accuracy within 2° of rotation and 1 mm of translation along a helical axis of motion. The in vivo application of this technique is illustrated with a single normal individual. Potential applications include the quantification of normal wrist motion, analysis of pathomechanics, and evaluation of surgical intervention. The technique is also applicable to other joints and imaging modalities.     

A three-dimensional MRI analysis of knee kinematics.

PURPOSE: To quantify normal, in vivo tibio-femoral knee joint kinematics in multiple weight bearing positions using non-invasive, high-resolution MRI and discuss the potential of developing future kinematic methods to assess patients with abnormal joint pathologies. METHODS: Ten volunteers with clinically normal knees pushed inferiorly on the footplate of a weight bearing apparatus inside the MR scanner. The volunteers held the weight (133 N) for five scans as the knee motion was evaluated from 0 degrees to 60 degrees of flexion. Full extension was set as the zero point for all measured parameters. Using 3D reconstructions, tibia motion relative to the femur and flexion angle was measured as varus-valgus angle, axial rotation, anterior-posterior translation, and medial-lateral translation. Medial and lateral compartment tibio-femoral contact areas were examined and centroids of the contract areas were calculated. RESULTS: Tibial internal rotation averaged 4.8 degrees at 40 degrees of flexion and then decreased. Tibial valgus increased by 8 degrees at 60 degrees of flexion. Femoral roll back also increased to 18.5 mm average at 60 degrees of flexion, while the tibia translated medially 2.5 mm. Medial compartment femoro-tibial contact area started at 374 mm2 and decreased to 308 mm2 with flexion of 60 degrees, while lateral compartment contact area did not change significantly from 276 mm2. CONCLUSIONS: Results correlate with previous studies of knee kinematics while providing greater three-dimensional detail. MR imaging allows excellent non-invasive evaluation of knee joint kinematics with weight bearing. This tool may potentially be used for assessing knee kinematics in patients with knee pathology.     

In vivo determination of knee kinematics for subjects implanted with a unicompartmental arthroplasty

Femorotibial contact positions for 20 subjects implanted with a unicompartmental knee arthroplasty (UKA) were analyzed using videofluoroscopy. Femorotibial contact paths were determined using a computer-automated model-fitting technique. Subjects having a medial UKA experienced on average -0.8 mm of posterior femoral rollback, whereas subjects having a lateral UKA experienced -2.5 mm of posterior femoral rollback. Twelve of 17 subjects having a medial UKA and 2 of 3 subjects having a lateral UKA experienced normal axial rotation (average, 3.3 degrees and 11.2 degrees ). The results for some subjects suggest that the anterior cruciate ligament was unable to thrust the femur anteriorly at full extension. These results support the findings that the anterior cruciate ligament plays a significant role in knee kinematics, which may contribute to UKA longevity.     

In vivo kinematics for fixed and mobile-bearing posterior stabilized knee prostheses

This is the first in vivo kinematic study to compare mobile-bearing with fixed-bearing prostheses in patients who had total knee arthroplasties. Femorotibial contact positions for 40 patients implanted with either a fixed-bearing or mobile-bearing prosthesis were analyzed using videofluoroscopy. Femorotibial contact paths were determined using a computer automated model-fitting technique. Nineteen of 20 patients in each group experienced posterior femoral rollback of their lateral condyles, with a mean of 3.6 and 3.7 mm for fixed-bearing and mobile-bearing prostheses respectively. Eighteen patients who had mobile-bearing prostheses and 17 patients with fixed-bearing knee prostheses experienced a normal pattern of axial rotation of 7.3 degrees and 4.1 degrees respectively. Eleven of 20 (55%) patients who had mobile-bearing prostheses implanted and eight of 20 (40%) patients who had fixed-bearing prostheses implanted did not experience femoral condylar lift-off. The remaining knees had condylar lift-off less than 2.4 mm for fixed-bearing prostheses and 1.7 mm for mobile-bearing prostheses, respectively. Patients who had mobile-bearing prostheses implanted experienced greater axial rotation and less condylar lift-off than patients who had fixed-bearing prostheses implanted. Both cruciate ligaments are sacrificed for the mobile and fixed-bearing total knee replacements. The results from the current study showed that, in both groups, the majority of patients experienced kinematics similar to those of a normal knee. However, the extent of lateral femoral condyle posterior rollback and the extent of axial rotation were less.     

In vivo kinematics of total knee arthroplasty. Concave versus posterior-stabilised tibial joint surface

We studied the kinetics of the knee in 20 patients (22 knees) 12 months after total knee arthroplasty (TKA), by using three-dimensional radiostereometry and film-exchanger techniques. Eleven knees had a concave (constrained) tibial implant and 11 a posterior-stabilised prosthesis. Eleven normal knees served as a control group. In the posterior-stabilised knees there was less proximal and posterior displacement of the centre of the tibial plateau during extension from 45 degrees to 15 degrees, with a decrease in the anterior translation of the femoral condyles of 4 mm at 45 degrees. There was less internal tibial rotation and increased distal positioning of the centre of the tibial plateau with both designs when compared with the normal knees, and in both the centre of the plateau was displaced posteriorly by more than 1 cm. Increased AP translation has been recorded in all prosthetic designs so far studied by radiostereometry. The use of a posterior-stabilised design of tibial insert could reduce this translation but not to that of the normal knee.     

Investigation of in vivo 6DOF total knee arthoplasty kinematics using a dual orthogonal fluoroscopic system.

Fluoroscopic techniques have been recently used to detect in vivo knee joint kinematics. This article presents a technique that uses two fluoroscopes to form a dual orthogonal fluoroscopic system for accurately measuring in vivo 6DOF total knee arthoplasty (TKA) kinematics. The system was rigorously validated and used to investigate in vivo kinematics of 12 patients after cruciate-retaining TKA. In a repeatability study, the pose of two different TKA components was reproduced with standard deviations (SD) of 0.17 mm and 0.57 degrees about all three axes. In an accuracy study, the reproduced component positions were compared to the known component positions. Position and rotation mean errors were all within 0.11 mm and 0.24 degrees, with SD within 0.11 mm and 0.48 degrees, respectively. The results of this study show that the matching process of the imaging system is able to accurately reproduce the spatial positions and orientations of both the femoral and tibial components. For CR TKA patients, a consistent anterior femoral translation was observed with flexion through 45 degrees of flexion, and thereafter, the femur translated posteriorly with further flexion. The medial-lateral translation was measured to be less than 2 mm throughout the entire flexion range. Internal tibial rotation steadily increased through maximum flexion by approximately 6 degrees. Varus rotation was also measured with flexion but had a mean magnitude less than 2.0 degrees. In conclusion, the dual orthogonal fluoroscopic system accurately detects TKA kinematics and is applicable towards other joints of the musculoskeletal system, including the wrist, elbow, shoulder, ankle, and spine.     

In vivo kinematics of total knee arthroplasty: flat compared with concave tibial joint surface.

This study evaluated the influence of the geometric configuration of the tibial joint area on the kinematics of the knee. Twenty-two patients with noninflammatory arthritis and minor preoperative deformity were studied. They each received an AMK total knee replacement with retention of the posterior cruciate ligament. Eleven patients without any knee abnormalities were used as controls. The patients were stratified to either the flat (terminology of the manufacturer: standard) or concave (terminology of the manufacturer: constrained) polyethylene insert (n = 11 in each group). Knee kinematics were assessed 1 year after the operation by having the patient ascend a platform corresponding to an extension of the knee from 50 to 70 degrees of flexion. During this motion, two film-exchangers simultaneously exposed six to 13 pairs of serial stereoradiographs. The concave geometric configuration of the tibial insert resulted paradoxically in increased anterior-posterior translations compared with the flat insert but no significant change of rotations and translations in the other directions. Compared with normal knees, the most obvious abnormality was increased anterior-posterior translations (p < 0.004). At 50 degrees of flexion, the implants with the flat tibial polyethylene insert had displaced 2 times and the concave ones had displaced 2.5 times more posteriorly than the normal knees (p < or = 0.001). Less internal tibial rotation was also recorded in the flexed positions for both types of inserts compared with the normal knees (p < 0.02). Four knees in four patients, who reported symptoms of instability and abnormal knee function, showed significantly increased proximal displacement of the center of the tibial plateau in the flexed position. The findings suggest that current prosthetic designs and surgical technique do not restore normal knee kinematics and indicate that design improvements should rely on in vivo kinematic studies.     

In vivo determination of knee kinematics in patients with a hamstring or patellar tendon ACL graft

Video fluoroscopy was used to assess the in vivo kinematics for patients with a patellar-tendon-bone or double-looped semitendinosus gracilis anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) graft. Patients with a double-looped semitendinosus gracilis ACL graft experienced kinematic patterns more similar to the normal knee than patients with a patellar-tendon-bone reconstruction. Patients with a double-looped semitendinosus gracilis reconstruction also experienced more anterior contact at full extension and throughout the flexion cycle than patients with a patellar-tendon-bone reconstruction, which resulted in patients with double-looped semitendinosus gracilis grafts experiencing more posterior femoral rollback. Therefore, removal of the central third of the patella ligament leads to a decrease in quadriceps mechanism efficiency, which resulted in the more posterior contact positions demonstrated by the patients with patellar-tendon-bone grafts in this study.     

In vivo technique to quantify the internal-external rotation kinematics of the human glenohumeral joint.

Internal and external rotation of the humerus are often related to instability, injury mechanisms, and surgical and rehabilitation outcomes at the glenohumeral joint. The goal of this study was to develop a technique to quantify the internal-external rotation kinematics of the glenohumeral joint in human subjects, including the rotational range of motion, neutral-zone laxity, and flexibility. For both arms of 10 normal subjects, the rotational range of motion of the humerus was assessed at 45 degrees of abduction with 4 Nm of applied moment to produce internal and external rotations about the long axis. The neutral zone was defined as the portion of the rotational range of motion that occurred between +1 and -1 Nm of applied internal-external rotation torque. The flexibility was determined from the slope of the moment-rotation curve from 1 to 4 Nm of applied moment. The repeatability of the device during two trials on the same day and two trials 1 week apart was determined. There were no significant differences between the two same-day and two across-day trials for each outcome measure. The internal-external rotational range of motion was 139.4 degrees (SD 40.5 degrees). The neutral-zone laxity was 77.8 degrees (SD 46.0 degrees). With a linear approximation, the external rotation flexibility (20.1 degrees/Nm [SD 13.7 degrees/Nm]) was four times greater than the internal rotation flexibility (5.8 degrees/Nm [SD 5.1 degrees/Nm]). The changes in the magnitude of the laxity, the ratio between the laxity and the range of motion, or the values for flexibility determined with this technique could be used to describe joint laxity, surgical outcome, and rehabilitation progress.