title: Easy identification of mechanical axis during total knee arthroplasty.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  We devised an intraoperatively identifiable mechanical axis (IIMA) as a reference of alignment in total knee arthroplasty (TKA).
  
  
  METHODS
  Between February 2010 and January 2011, primary TKAs were consecutively performed on 672 patients (1007 knees) using an IIMA as a reference in the coronal plane.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The alignment of the lower extremity improved from a mean of 11.4±6.7° (-10.3-34.4°) of varus preop. to 0.7±3.5° (-5.2-8.6°) immediately after surgery. Mean alignment of the femoral component in the coronal plane was 89.3±2.3° (83.4-97.2°) postop. and mean alignment of the tibial component was 90.4±2.2° (85.1-94.2°) postop.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This study showed that IIMA could be of considerable value as a new guider of alignment that is easily accessible and highly effective during total knee arthroplasty.
authors.affiliation: Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, National Health Insurance Service Ilsan Hospital, 100 Ilsan-ro, Ilsandong-gu, Goyang 410-719, Korea. orthomania@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Jai-Gon
authors.initials: JG
authors.lastname: Seo
authors.forename: Young-Wan
authors.initials: YW
authors.lastname: Moon
authors.forename: Sang-Min
authors.initials: SM
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: Byung-Chul
authors.initials: BC
authors.lastname: Jo
authors.forename: Sang-Hoon
authors.initials: SH
authors.lastname: Park
mesh_terms: D019645:Arthroplasty, Replacement, Knee / Q000379:methods*; D005269:Femur / Q000601:surgery; D006801:Humans; D013977:Tibia / Q000601:surgery
keywords: Lower limb neutral mechanical axis; extramedullary reference; inter-femoral head center distance; total knee arthroplasty