The effect of total knee arthroplasty prostheses design on the potential for salvage arthrodesis: measurements of volumes, lengths and trabecular bone contact areas.
Standardized plaster replicas of bony specimens were made to determine the mechanical and architectural requirements for arthrodesis subsequent to failed arthroplasty. Surprisingly small differences were noted in the total volume of bone removed from control compared with arthroplasty patients. There were correspondingly small differences in the bone and/or limb lengths. Limb length is not a consideration in selecting a prosthesis type. Varying with the type of prosthesis, there were wide differences in the contact area of trabecular bone remaining for fusion. Bulky femoral and tibial stems or protrusions are undesirable and greatly diminish the interface areas.
D001174:Arthrodesis / Q000379:methods*; D001696:Biomechanical Phenomena; D005269:Femur / Q000473:pathology; D006801:Humans; D007720:Knee Prosthesis / Q000379:methods; D011474:Prosthesis Design; D013977:Tibia / Q000473:pathology