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Adult Reconstruction
intermediate
X-Type

Total Knee Alignment Principles

Knee Arthroplasty

A 68-year-old man is undergoing primary total knee arthroplasty for osteoarthritis with varus deformity. The surgeon is planning component positioning using navigation. Pre-operative long-leg radiographs show a mechanical axis of 8 degrees varus. The surgeon discusses alignment philosophy with the registrar, including mechanical alignment, kinematic alignment, and the role of modern technologies. Regarding alignment in total knee arthroplasty:

Mark each as TRUE or FALSE

A

The mechanical axis of the lower limb runs from the centre of the femoral head to the centre of the ...

B

The femoral anatomic axis runs through the intramedullary canal; the distal femoral cut is made at 5...

C

Mechanical axis alignment creates a natural knee; kinematic alignment always causes early failure; t...

D

Kinematic alignment aims to restore the patient's native joint line and limb alignment rather than f...

E

Component rotation affects patellar tracking and flexion gap balance; femoral component rotation is ...

Answer the questions to see explanations

Click T (True) or F (False) for each option