Impingement of the Mobile Bearing on the Lateral Wall of the Tibial Tray in Unicompartmental Knee Arthroplasty.

BACKGROUND: Tilting of the mobile bearing relative to the tibial tray in the flexion position may result from the implantation of femoral components more laterally relative to tibial components during unicompartmental knee arthroplasty (UKA) using the Oxford Knee. The purpose of the present study was to compare femoral component positions after UKA using the phase 3 device and a novel device. We further evaluated the placement of the femoral components with the new device in the flexion position to determine the association with short-term prognosis.

METHODS: The location of femoral and tibial components in the flexion position of 38 knees implanted using the phase 3 device and 49 knees using a novel device was assessed at 1 year postoperatively using radiography of the proximal tibia and distal femur in the flexion position.

RESULTS: The femoral component was implanted more laterally using the new device than using the phase 3 device in the flexion position (P = .012), which caused the impingement of the mobile bearing against the lateral wall of the tibial tray. After UKA using the new device, 10% of patients exhibited the tilting phenomenon of the mobile bearing because of the lateral implantation of the femoral implant.

CONCLUSION: To prevent implantation of the femoral component too laterally using the new device during UKA, knee surgeons should set the drill guide more medially such that the center of the drill is aligned with the middle of the medial femoral condyle.