Background: The popliteus tendon (PT) or lateral collateral ligament (LCL) stabilizes the postero-lateral aspects of the knees. When surgeons perform total knee arthroplasty (TKA), PT and LCL iatrogenic injuries are a risk because the femoral attachments are relatively close to the femoral bone resection area. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the distance between the PT or LCL footprint and the TKA implant using a 3D template system and to evaluate any significant differences according to the implant model.
Methods: Eighteen non-paired formalin fixed cadaveric lower limbs were used (average age: 80.3). Whole length lower limbs were resected from the pelvis. All the surrounding soft tissue except the PT, knee ligaments and meniscus were removed from the limb. Careful dissection of the PT and LCL was performed, and the femoral footprints were detected. Each footprint periphery was marked with a 1.5 mm K-wire. Computed tomography (CT) scanning of the whole lower limb was then performed. The CT data was analyzed with a 3D template system. This simulation models for TKA were the Journey II BCS and the Persona PS. The area of each footprint, and the length between the most distal and posterior point of the lateral femoral condyle and the edge of each footprint were measured. Matching the implant model to the CT image of the femur, the shortest length between each footprint and the bone resection area were calculated.
Results: PT and LCL footprint were detected in all knees. The area of the PT and LCL footprints was 38.7 ± 17.7 mm2 and 58.0 ± 24.6 mm2, respectively. The length between the most distal and posterior point of the lateral femoral condyle and the edge of the PT footprint was 10.3 ± 2.4 mm and 14.2 ± 2.8 mm, respectively. The length between most distal and most posterior point of the lateral femoral condyle and the edge of the LCL footprint was 16.3 ± 2.3 mm and 15.5 ± 3.3 mm, respectively. Under TKA simulation, the shortest length between the PT footprint and the femoral bone resection area for the Journey II BCS and the Persona PS was 4.3 ± 2.5 mm and 3.2 ± 2.9 mm, respectively. The shortest length between the LCL footprint and the femoral bone resection area for the Journey II BCS and the Persona PS was 7.2 ± 2.3 mm and 5.6 ± 2.1 mm, respectively. The PT attachment was damaged by the bone resection of the Journey II BCS and the Persona PS TKA in 3 and 9 knees, respectively.
Conclusion: The PT and LCL femoral attachments existed close to the femoral bone resection area of the TKA. To prevent postero-lateral instability in TKA, careful attention is needed to avoid damage to the PT and LCL during surgical procedures.
Keywords: Anatomy; Footprint; Knee arthroplasty; LCL; Popliteus tendon.