Skip to main content

Soft tissue tension in extension in total knee arthroplasty affects postoperative knee extension and stability

Knee Surgery, Sports Traumatology, Arthroscopy volume 16, pages 999–1003 (2008)Cite this article

An Erratum to this article was published on 14 March 2009

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to assess correlation of soft tissue tension in extension with postoperative extension deficit and valgus/varus instability. Sixty-four osteoarthritic knees that underwent primary total knee arthroplasty were investigated. Soft tissue tension in extension was measured during operation with a balancer/tensor device. Extension deficit was measured, and valgus/varus laxity was assessed by stress radiographs in extension and 30°-flexion 1 year after operation. The extension deficit became larger with an increase of soft tissue tension a year after operation. (P < 0.05) The varus laxity in extension and 30°-flexion and valgus laxity in 30°-flexion became smaller with an increase of soft tissue tension (P < 0.05). Our results demonstrated that soft tissue tension during operation affects postoperative knee extension and stability.

This is a preview of subscription content, access via your institution.

Access options

Buy single article

Instant access to the full article PDF.

43,34 €

Price includes VAT (Finland)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Fig. 1
Fig. 2
Fig. 3
Fig. 4
Fig. 5
Fig. 6
Fig. 7

References

  1. Asano H, Hoshino A, Wilton TJ (2004) Soft tissue tension in total knee arthroplasty. J Arthroplasty 19(5):632–634

    Article  Google Scholar 

  2. Asano H, Muneta T, Hoshino A (2008) Stiffness of soft tissue complex in total knee arthroplasty. Knee Surg Sports Traumatol Arthrosc 16(1):51–55

    PubMed  Article  Google Scholar 

  3. Attfield SF, Warren-Forward M, Wilton TJ, Sambatakakis A (1994) Measurement of soft tissue imbalance in total knee arthroplasty using electronic instrumentation. Med Eng Phys 16:501–504

    PubMed  Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  4. Bellemans J, D’Hooghe P, Vandenneucker H, Van Damme G, Vicotr J (2006) Soft tissue balance in total knee arthroplasty; does stress relaxation occur periopratively? Clin Orthop 452:49–52

    PubMed  Article  Google Scholar 

  5. Draganich LF, Pottenger LA (2000) The TRAC PS mobile-bearing prosthesis: design rationale and in vivo 3-dimensional laxity. J Arthroplasty 15:102–112

    PubMed  Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  6. Edwards E, Miller J, Chan K (1998) The effect of postoperative collateral ligament laxity in total knee arthroplasty. Clin Orthop 236:44–51

    Google Scholar 

  7. Fehring T, Valadie A (1994) Knee instability after total knee arthroplasty. Clin Orthop 299:44–51

    Google Scholar 

  8. Griffin FM, Insall JN, Scuderi GR (2000) Accuracy of soft tissue balancing in total knee arthroplasty. Arthroplasty 15(8):970–973

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  9. Kuster M, Bitschnau B, Votruba T (2004) Influence of collateral ligament laxity on patient satisfaction after total knee arthroplasty: a comparative bilateral study. Arch Orthop Trauma Surg 124:415–417

    PubMed  Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  10. Laskin RS, Rieger MA (1989) The surgical technique for performing a total knee replacement arthroplasty. Orthop Clin North Am 20:31–48

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  11. Matsuda Y, Ishii Y, Noguchi H, Ishii R (2005) Effect of flexion angle on coronal laxity in patients with mobile-bearing total knee arthroplasty prosthesis. J Orthop Sci 10:37–41

    PubMed  Article  Google Scholar 

  12. Pagnano M, Hanssen A, Lewallen D, Stuart M (1998) Flexion instability after primary posterior cruciate retaining total knee arthroplasty. Clin Orthop 356:39–46

    PubMed  Article  Google Scholar 

  13. Sambatakakis A, Wilton TJ, Newton G (1991) Radiographic sign of persistent soft-tissue imbalance after knee replacement. J Bone Joint Surg 73-B:751–756

    Google Scholar 

  14. Takahashi T, Wada Y, Yamamoto H (1997) Soft-tissue balancing with pressure distribution during total knee arthroplasty. J Bone Joint Surg 79:235–239

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  15. Van Damme G, Defoort K, Ducoulombier Y, Van Glabbeek F, Bellemans J, Victor J (2005) What should the surgeon aim for when performing computer-assisted total knee arthroplasty. J Bone Joint Surg 87:52–58

    PubMed  Article  Google Scholar 

  16. Walewski G, Marson B, Benjamin J (1998) Early, incapacitating instability of posterior cruciate ligament-retaining total knee arthroplasty. J Arthroplasty 13:763–767

    Article  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Affiliations

  1. Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Minato Redcross Hospital, Shinyamashita 3-12-1 Nakaku, Yokohama, Japan

    Hiroshi Asano

  2. Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Tokyo Medical and Dental University, Tokyo, Japan

    Takeshi Muneta & Ichiro Sekiya

Authors
  1. Hiroshi Asano
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Takeshi Muneta
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Ichiro Sekiya
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Hiroshi Asano.

Additional information

An erratum to this article can be found at http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s00167-009-0758-4

Rights and permissions

Reprints and Permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Asano, H., Muneta, T. & Sekiya, I. Soft tissue tension in extension in total knee arthroplasty affects postoperative knee extension and stability. Knee Surg Sports Traumatol Arthr 16, 999–1003 (2008). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00167-008-0591-1

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00167-008-0591-1

Keywords

  • Total knee arthroplasty
  • Soft tissue
  • Tension
  • Extension deficit
  • Laxity