title: Clinical versus instrumented knee testing on autopsy specimens.
abstract: The accuracy, reliability, and reproducibility of the Genucom Knee Analysis System and Knee Signature System (KSS) for anteroposterior knee laxity evaluations were compared. The devices detected the same relative change in laxity between normal and anterior cruciate ligament-deficient specimens during Lachman and drawer testing; however, the absolute values differed. In a clinical study, two examiners performed three independent Lachman and drawer tests using the Genucom, KSS, and a subjective clinical examination on ten patients. The Genucom demonstrated interexaminer differences during the Lachman test. The clinical examination proved to be more reliable than either instrumented device for both Lachman and drawer testing. The intraexaminer variability of the Genucom and KSS was large, with the average 95% confidence limits about the mean for the Genucom and KSS equal to +/- 4.2 and +/- 2.8 mm, respectively. These findings question the accuracy, reliability, and reproducibility of the instrumented methods.
authors.affiliation: McClure Musculoskeletal Research Center, Department of Orthopaedics and Rehabilitation, University of Vermont, Burlington 05405.
authors.forename: B C
authors.initials: BC
authors.lastname: Fleming
authors.forename: R J
authors.initials: RJ
authors.lastname: Johnson
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Shapiro
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Fenwick
authors.forename: J G
authors.initials: JG
authors.lastname: Howe
authors.forename: M H
authors.initials: MH
authors.lastname: Pope
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D016118:Anterior Cruciate Ligament / Q000502:physiology; D000070598:Anterior Cruciate Ligament Injuries; D002102:Cadaver; D004594:Electrophysiology / Q000295:instrumentation; D005069:Evaluation Studies as Topic; D006801:Humans; D007593:Joint Instability / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000503:physiopathology; D007718:Knee Injuries / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000503:physiopathology; D007719:Knee Joint / Q000502:physiology*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009068:Movement / Q000502:physiology; D015588:Observer Variation