The Study Of Effects Of Posterior Cruciate Ligament Resection On The Tibiofemoral Joint Gap In Total Knee Replacement

Objective: To evaluate the effects of posterior cruciate ligament resection on thetibiofemoral joint gap and its clinical value in total knee replacement.Method: We selected patients of osteoarthritis with varus knee who need total kneereplacement. Patients with valgus knee and rheumatoid arthritis were not included.There were 29 women and 6 men, with a average age of 66 years(range from54-77years). All operations were done with a standardized technique. We measuredthe knee joint gap of flexion in 90 degree and full extension by using tensor devicebefore and after resecting posterior cruciate ligament (PCL). The minimum incrementwith this device was 1 mm. All prostheses were posterior stabilized prostheses. Andthen analyzed the result of measurement by using SPSS.Result: The joint gap of flexion and extension both increased after resecting PCL. Inflexion, medial side increased 5.12±1.48 mm and lateral side increased 4.91±0.95 mm.In extension, medial side increased 1.98±0.93 mm and lateral side increase 2.14±0.81mm. The mean value of extention gap increased from 21.14±1.46mm to 23.19±1.49mm, while the flexion gap increased from 19.22±1.26mm to 24.24±0.95mm.The difference of increase in all gaps had highly statistically significant(p＜0.001), theflexion gap significantly increased compared with the extension gap(p＜0.001), therewas no significant difference between the changes in the medial and lateralgaps(P=0.016,0.023)Conclusion: We concluded that the PCL has very significant value in total kneereplacement with varus knee, When it was resected, the joint gap of flexion andextension both increased, especially the flexion gap. but this method do not result in asignificant correction of varus knee.