title: Alignment of the femoral component in a mobile-bearing unicompartmental knee arthroplasty: a study in 10 cadaver femora.
abstract: Use of an intramedullary rod is advised for the alignment of the femoral component of an Oxford phase-III prosthesis. There are users moving toward extramedullary alignment, which is merely an indicator of frustration with accuracy of intramedullary alignment. The results of our study with 10 cadaver femora demonstrate that use of a short and long intramedullary femoral rod may result in excessive flexion alignment error of the femoral component. Understanding of the extramedullary alignment possibility and experience with the visual alignment of the femoral drill guide is essential toward minimizing potential errors in the alignment of the femoral component.
authors.affiliation: Department of Orthopedics, Maasland Hospital, PO Box 5500, 6130 MB Sittard, The Netherlands. n.kort@orbisconcern.nl
authors.forename: N P
authors.initials: NP
authors.lastname: Kort
authors.forename: J J A M
authors.initials: JJ
authors.lastname: van Raay
authors.forename: B J W
authors.initials: BJ
authors.lastname: Thomassen
mesh_terms: D019645:Arthroplasty, Replacement, Knee; D001858:Bone Nails; D002102:Cadaver; D005269:Femur / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000601:surgery*; D006801:Humans; D007720:Knee Prosthesis; D017755:Prosthesis Fitting / Q000295:instrumentation* / Q000379:methods; D011859:Radiography