Total and partial knee arthroplasty implants that maintain native load transfer in the tibia

[摘要] AimsUnicompartmental and total knee arthroplasty (UKA and TKA) are successful treatments for osteoarthritis, but the solid metal implants disrupt the natural distribution of stress and strain which can lead to bone loss over time. This generates problems if the implant needs to be revised. This study investigates whether titanium lattice UKA and TKA implants can maintain natural load transfer in the proximal tibia.MethodsIn a cadaveric model, UKA and TKA procedures were performed on eight fresh-frozen knee specimens, using conventional (solid) and titanium lattice tibial implants. Stress at the bone-implant interfaces were measured and compared to the native knee.Results70% of bone surface area to be underloaded compared to the native tibia.ConclusionTitanium lattice implants maintained the natural mechanical loading in the proximal tibia after UKA and TKA, but conventional solid implants did not. This is an exciting first step towards implants that maintain bone health, but such implants also have to meet fatigue and micromotion criteria to be clinically viable.

[学科分类] 骨科学

[关键词] Bone strain;Porous implants;Additive manufacturing;tibial bone;total knee arthroplasty (TKA);bone-implant;titanium;unicompartmental knee arthroplasty (UKA);knee;tibial implants;proximal tibia;knee arthroplasty implants;cadaveric study