REPRODUCING A NATIVE KNEE KINEMATIC PATTERN IMPROVES PATIENT FUNCTION, PAIN, AND CLINICAL OUTCOMES AFTER TOTAL KNEE ARTHROPLASTY

Introduction Reports cite up to 20% of total knee arthroplasty (TKA) patients are not satisfied. Recent focus on alignment and balance has perhaps overshadowed kinematics as a key determinant of outcomes. Some propose that reproducing the native knee kinematics of lateral-pivot motion in early flexion during walking will enact optimal TKA outcomes. The purpose of this study was to determine if intra-operative kinematic patterns correlate with patient function, pain and satisfaction after TKA. Methods A retrospective review of consecutive TKA's performed by two surgeons was performed. After final components were implanted and balanced, sensor-embedded tibial trials were inserted and kinematic patterns were recorded through range-of-motion. Femoro-tibial contact points were recorded at four distinct flexion points (0°, 45°, 90° and full flexion). Center of rotation kinematic patterns were calculated and categorized as medial pivot, lateral pivot or translation at each measurement range via established criteria. Knees with lateral (L) pivot in early flexion between 0 and 45 ° and medial (M) pivot beyond 90°, regardless of the mid-flexion pivot pattern, formed the experimental group designated as LXM. All other patterns were designated non-LXM and formed the control group. Modern, validated clinical outcome measures (Knee Society Score, EQ5D, UCLA) were obtained preoperatively and at minimum one-year postoperatively. Results 185 consecutive TKAs were analyzed and 33 were excluded due to sensor device malfunction, atypical hardware, unresurfaced patella, surgery at a non-study hospital, early infection, aseptic loosening revision, ipsilateral hip disease, or subsequent neurologic disease or death unrelated to the index TKA resulting in a final sample size of 152 patients. Twelve patients (7.9%) were lost to minimum one-year follow-up, and two were excluded from analysis due to outlier values. Seventy-five percent of the final sample was female. Mean age, height, weight, and BMI were 63.6 years, 167.0 cm, 94.5 kg, and 33.9, respectively. Patients in the LXM group tended to be slightly older (66 vs. 63 years, p = 0.062) and had fewer months of follow-up (18.3 vs. 21.6 months, p = 0.030). Controlling for age and follow-up, patients with the LXM kinematic pattern demonstrated better postoperative function scores (mean 74.6 vs. 66.3 points, p = 0.032) and greater functional improvement from preoperative baseline (mean 40.3 vs. 30.0 points, p = 0.001). The LXM kinematic pattern also was associated with greater improvement in the Knee Society objective score (mean 39.6 vs. 32.3 points, p = 0.053). There was a trend for LXM to demonstrate greater improvement in satisfaction (mean 20.1 vs. 17.3 points, p 0.086). EQ-5D health care quality of life and UCLA activity level score were unrelated to kinematic pattern. Conclusion TKA patients with a lateral pivot kinematic pattern in the early range of motion and a medial pattern in high flexion beyond 90-degrees demonstrated superior functional outcomes and objective clinical knee scores. This supports the premise that TKA kinematic patterns that replicate native knee kinematics unique to certain degrees of flexion will have optimal function, improved clinical outcome, and less pain.