Low-Contact-Stress Knee Arthroplasty: Past History or Ahead of Time?

• Published in: Orthopedics (Thorofare, N.J.) Vol. 39; no. 3; pp. e402 - e412
• Main Authors: Zürcher, Arthur W, Stiehl, James B, Pöll, Ruud G
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: United States SLACK INCORPORATED 01.05.2016
• Subjects: Arthroplasty, Replacement, Knee - standards; Arthroplasty, Replacement, Knee - trends; Biomechanical Phenomena - physiology; Bone surgery; Humans; Joint replacement surgery; Kinematics; Knee; Knee Prosthesis - standards; Knee Prosthesis - trends; Ligaments; Orthopedics; Polyethylene - therapeutic use; Prostheses; Prosthesis Design - standards; Prosthesis Design - trends; Range of Motion, Articular - physiology; Rotation; Surgeons; Netherlands
• ISSN: 0147-7447; 1938-2367
• DOI: 10.3928/01477447-20160427-16

Low-contact-stress mobile-bearing (MB) total knee arthroplasty (TKA) can rely on a long history. Its concept comprises a combination of high condylar congruency and compensatory bearing rotation to promote load sharing. However, other MB designs have become available, and critical points have been raised about the benefit of MB in general. Although there is kinematic and kinetic support for the low-contact-stress concept, there is no tribologic or clinical proof of its superiority over fixed-bearing concepts. Further study should be controlled for differences in polyethylene quality and need to provide a measure of condylar congruency to differentiate authentic low-contact-stress variants form others. [Orthopedics. 2016; 39(3):e402-e412.].