title: A comparison of variable angle versus fixed angle distal femoral resection in primary total knee arthroplasty.
abstract: This study assessed whether using a variable distal valgus resection angle improved post-operative coronal lower limb alignment in total knee arthroplasty (TKA). Two groups were compared: Fixed (n = 124), where a fixed distal valgus resection angle of 7° was used; Variable (n = 87), where the resection angle was adjusted to the measured femoral mechanical anatomical (FMA) angle of the patient. FMA and mechanical femoro-tibial (MFT) angles were measured on pre-operative and post-operative hip-knee-ankle radiographs. 85% of patients in the Variable group had a post-operative MFT angle within 0° ± 3°compared to 69% in the Fixed group (P = 0.006). The use of a fixed distal femoral resection angle for all patients is not appropriate. Setting the resection to an individual patient's FMA angle can significantly improve the post-operative MFT angle.
authors.affiliation: Department of Orthopaedics, Golden Jubilee National Hospital, Clydebank, West Dunbartonshire.
authors.forename: Angela H
authors.initials: AH
authors.lastname: Deakin
authors.affiliation: Department of Orthopaedics, Golden Jubilee National Hospital, Clydebank, West Dunbartonshire.
authors.forename: Martin
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Sarungi
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D019645:Arthroplasty, Replacement, Knee / Q000379:methods*; D001696:Biomechanical Phenomena; D017760:Bone Malalignment / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000517:prevention & control; D015331:Cohort Studies; D005260:Female; D005269:Femur / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000601:surgery*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011859:Radiography; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D013977:Tibia / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*
keywords: coronal alignment; distal femoral resection; femoral mechanical anatomical angle; mechanical femorotibial angle; total knee arthroplasty