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The femoral sulcus in total knee arthroplasty

  • Knee
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Knee Surgery, Sports Traumatology, Arthroscopy Aims and scope

Abstract

The position of the femoral sulcus relative to the midline of the distal femoral resection in total knee arthroplasty (TKA) was studied to determine if centralized placement of the femoral component on the distal femur was justified in terms of aligning the prosthetic sulcus with the native femoral sulcus. The location of the femoral sulcus was studied in 112 consecutive patients undergoing TKA. The mean sulcus position was 0.7 mm lateral to the midline of the distal femoral resection (SD 1.4, 95% CI, 0.5–1.0 mm). However, the variation in sulcus positions ranged from 4 mm medial to 4 mm lateral to the midline. The mean sulcus position in valgus knees was 1.0 mm lateral to the midline (SD 1.8), and that in varus knees was 0.7 mm lateral to the midline (SD 1.2) (P = 0.501). It appears prudent to centre the femoral component on the native sulcus rather than the midline of the distal femoral resection, so as to ensure accurate alignment of the prosthetic sulcus with the native sulcus and to encourage normal patella tracking.

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Acknowledgments

The authors would like to thank Dr. Chan Yiong Huak for his assistance in the statistical analysis.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. The Melbourne Knee Fellowship, Warringal Hospital, 1/210 Burgundy Street, Melbourne, VIC, 3084, Australia

    Krishna Lingaraj & John Bartlett

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  1. Krishna Lingaraj
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  2. John Bartlett
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Correspondence to Krishna Lingaraj.

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Lingaraj, K., Bartlett, J. The femoral sulcus in total knee arthroplasty. Knee Surg Sports Traumatol Arthrosc 17, 499–502 (2009). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00167-008-0719-3

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