title: How to minimize rotational conflict between femoral & tibial component in total knee arthroplasty: the use of femoro-tibial axial synchronizer (Linker).
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The purpose of this study was to investigate the correlation between rotational axes of femur and tibia with the use of Linker.
  
  
  METHODS
  This study was carried out from August 2009 to February 2010 on 54 patients (106 knees), who were diagnosed with simultaneous bilateral total knee arthroplasty. With the use of postoperative computed tomography scans, it was investigated how much the rotational angle of femoral and tibial components matched.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The tibial component was internally rotated for the femoral component at an angle of 0.8°. The femoral component was externally rotated for the surgical transepicondylar axis (TEA) at an angle of 1.6 (range: from 4.8° of internal rotation to 7.9° of external rotation, SD=2.2°), and the tibial component was externally rotated for the surgical TEA at an average angle of 0.9 (range: from 5.1° of internal rotation to 8.3° of external rotation, SD=3.1°).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The femoro-tibial synchronizer helped to improve the orientation and positioning of both femoral component and tibial component, and also increase the correlation of the rotational axes of the two components.
authors: Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Samsung Medical Center, Sungkyunkwan University School of Medicine, Seoul, Korea.
authors: Jai-Gon
authors: JG
authors: Seo
authors: Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Samsung Medical Center, Sungkyunkwan University School of Medicine, Seoul, Korea.
authors: Young-Wan
authors: YW
authors: Moon
authors: Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Samsung Medical Center, Sungkyunkwan University School of Medicine, Seoul, Korea.
authors: Sang-Min
authors: SM
authors: Kim
authors: Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, National Health Insurance Service Ilsan Hospital, Goyang, Korea. orthomania@gmail.com.
authors: Sang-Hoon
authors: SH
authors: Park
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D019645:Arthroplasty, Replacement, Knee / Q000379:methods*; D005260:Female; D005269:Femur / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000601:surgery; D006801:Humans; D007717:Knee; D007719:Knee Joint / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000601:surgery; D007720:Knee Prosthesis; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012016:Reference Values; D012399:Rotation; D013977:Tibia / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000601:surgery; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed / Q000379:methods*
keywords: Rotational axis; extramedullary reference; femoro-tibial synchronizer; total knee arthroplasty