Optimal Distraction Force for Evaluating Tibiofemoral Joint Gaps in Posterior Stabilized Total Knee Arthroplasty

Background: Obtaining well-balanced soft tissues is important to achieve natural knee kinematics after total knee arthroplasty (TKA). In conventional procedures, soft tissue balance is evaluated with spacer blocks or lamina spreaders. However, the evaluation depends on the surgeons' experience and is not quantitative. This study aims to measure the mechanical properties of knee soft tissue with a new ligament balancer and to determine the optimal distraction force for evaluating tibiofemoral joint gaps in TKA. Methods: This study included 30 consecutive patients with medial knee osteoarthritis who were scheduled to undergo posterior stabilized TKA. The mean age of patients was 73 +/- 9.6 years at the time of surgery, and the mean hip-knee-ankle angle was 13.1 +/- 6.5 degrees in varus. After distal femoral and proximal tibial resections, the tibiofemoral joint gaps under several distraction forces were measured in extension and at 90 degrees flexion. The load-displacement curves in extension and flexion were drawn with these data, and the stability range, which was defined as the shift range from the toe region to the linear region in the curves, was calculated. Results: The stability ranges were 160 Newtons (N) in extension and 140 N in flexion. Conclusions: These displacement forces were considered optimal for evaluating tibiofemoral joint gaps during surgery and ensuring knee stability after TKA.