Navigated versus Conventional Total Knee Arthroplasty. Are There Improved Gait Kinematics or Clinical Benefits?

INTRODUCTION Total Knee Arthroplasty (TKA) has been established as a successful operation to relieve pain and restore function in patients with severe knee osteoarthritis with a survival rate of around 92% for 12 years [1]. The success of this operation is dependent on various factors such as the preoperative characteristics of the patient, the implant selected [2] and importantly the post operative implant alignment [3]. It is generally thought that longevity of the implant is associated with coronal alignment and that restoring the mechanical axis to +/-3 o of neutral relates to lower loosening and failure rates. Advancements in TKA in the form of computer navigation systems have been seen to improve overall alignment, implant placement and reduce outliers [4-6]. As the mean age of the TKA group decreases then the lifespan of the prosthesis is important. Another desirable outcome for the younger TKA patient is a good functional outcome.