title: The influence of the tibial slope on intra-operative soft tissue balance in cruciate-retaining and posterior-stabilized total knee arthroplasty.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  This study aims to make clear the influence of the tibial slope on intra-operative soft tissue balance measurements using a tensor in cruciate-retaining and posterior-stabilized total knee arthroplasty (TKA).
  
  
  METHODS
  Forty patients with osteoarthritis of the knee received TKAs (20 cruciate-retaining TKAs and 20 posterior-stabilized TKA). Soft tissue balance was measured using an offset type tensor at 0, 10, 45, 90, 135 degrees of knee flexion. The tibial slopes were measured by post-operative lateral radiograph. The correlation between the tibial slope and values of soft tissue balance were assessed.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Joint component gap at 90° (R = 0.537, p < 0.01) and 135° (R = 0.463, p < 0.05) of flexion and joint component gap change value of 90-0° (R = 0.433, p < 0.05) showed positive correlations with tibial slope in posterior-stabilized TKA. There was no relationship between the tibial slope and the value of soft tissue balances in cruciate-retaining TKA.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  In the present study, we confirmed that increasing the tibial slope resulted in a larger flexion gap compared to extension gap in posterior-stabilized TKA. Surgeons should be aware that increasing the tibial slope is one factor responsible for widening the flexion-extension gap difference in posterior-stabilized TKA.
authors.affiliation: Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Kobe University Graduate School of Medicine, 7-5-1 Kusunoki-cho, Chuo-ku, Kobe, Hyogo, 650-0017, Japan.
authors.forename: Shinya
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Oka
authors.forename: Tomoyuki
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Matsumoto
authors.forename: Hirotsugu
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Muratsu
authors.forename: Seiji
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Kubo
authors.forename: Takehiko
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Matsushita
authors.forename: Kazunari
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Ishida
authors.forename: Ryosuke
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Kuroda
authors.forename: Masahiro
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Kurosaka
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D019645:Arthroplasty, Replacement, Knee; D001696:Biomechanical Phenomena; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007719:Knee Joint / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000601:surgery*; D008023:Ligaments, Articular / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000601:surgery; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D020370:Osteoarthritis, Knee / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000601:surgery*; D016059:Range of Motion, Articular; D016037:Single-Blind Method; D013977:Tibia / Q000601:surgery*