Study Design: Patellar tendon reflexes were elicited among patients who had had a unilateral total knee replacement, those planned for unilateral total knee replacement, and a cohort of controlled patients. Patellar tendon reflex (PTR) response was measured with surface electromyography.
Objective: The aim of this study was to determine if total knee arthroplasty significantly alters the PTR.
Summary Of Background Data: As part of the clinical evaluation of the spine, extremity reflexes are provoked. Reflex variation between right and left extremities can be a pathological finding in disease of the spine. It has been noted that in patients who have undergone total knee arthroplasty (TKA), the PTR is diminished on the operative side compared with the contralateral nonoperative side. PTR is part of the clinical exam when evaluating a patient for lumbar radiculopathy.
Methods: The right and left patellar tendon reflex intensities were measured by quadriceps surface electromyography in 3 groups of patients. Group 1 consisted of 21 patients with unilateral TKA who were at least 6 months postoperative. Group 2 consisted of 18 patients with unilateral severe knee arthritis indicated for TKA. Group 3, serving as the control group, included 20 patients with no evidence of knee arthritis in either knee. The average reflex response for each group was recorded and comparisons were then made between each group.
Results: Patients who have undergone unilateral TKA have a PTR on average of 55.1% of their contralateral uninvolved side. This is statistically significant when compared with reflexes in patients who are planned for unilateral total knee arthroplasty, 96.03% (P = 0.001) and when compared with patients without evidence for knee arthritis, 102.2% (P < 0.001).
Conclusion: The results of this case control study show that TKAs do significantly diminish PTRs when compared with a contralateral uninvolved knee in the same patient.
Level Of Evidence: 3.
Download full-text PDF |
Source |
|---|---|
| http://dx.doi.org/10.1097/BRS.0000000000001076 | DOI Listing |
Publication Analysis
Top Keywords
Similar Publications
Clinical outcomes and biomechanics in bicruciate-retaining total knee arthroplasty.
J Exp Orthop
January 2025
Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Faculty of Medicine The University of Tokyo Tokyo Japan.
Purpose: To clarify the influence of biomechanics on post-operative clinical outcomes in bicruciate-retaining total knee arthroplasty (BCR-TKA).
Methods: Severe medial osteoarthritis who underwent BCR-TKA were examined. Each patient was asked to perform a squat (weight-bearing [WB]) and active assisted knee flexion (non-WB [NWB]) under single fluoroscopy surveillance.
Purpose: Anterior tibial closing wedge osteotomy (ATCWO) has been shown to significantly reduce failure rates of revision anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) reconstructions in patients with a posterior tibial slope (PTS) ≥12°. Recent findings suggest a slight but significant reduction of the medial proximal tibial angle (MPTA) resulting in a varus knee where the sagittal osteotomy plane is based on a total of two guide wires defining the osteotomy wedge without respecting the frontal plane. We hypothesize that the placement of a total of four guide wires intraoperatively can reduce the influence on the MPTA.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFIntroduction: Kinematic alignment (KA) in total knee arthroplasty (TKA) is by definition a pure femoral resurfacing procedure aiming to restore the individual prearthritic anatomy. However, when a 2 mm compensation is systematically used on the worn side, the variability in cartilage thickness in the unworn compartment might alter the accuracy of the technique. This study aimed to validate two intraoperative femoral cartilage thickness measurement techniques by comparing them to the photographic method, which measures cartilage thickness through pixel analysis of bone-cut images.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFComparing patient outcomes following outpatient total joint arthroplasty in a hospital setting versus an ambulatory surgery center.
J Orthop
July 2025
University of Louisville, Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, United States.
Background: Traditionally, total joint arthroplasty has been performed as an inpatient procedure, sometimes requiring a hospital stay of a few days. However, outpatient total joints have gained popularity in recent years. The purpose of this study is to compare patient outcomes following an outpatient total knee arthroplasty (TKA) or a total hip arthroplasty (THA) in a hospital setting versus an ambulatory surgical center.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFTranexamic acid use in rotator cuff repair: A systematic review of perioperative outcomes.
J Orthop
July 2025
Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, St. Luke's University Health Network, Bethlehem, PA, USA.
Background: Tranexamic acid (TXA) use has become the gold standard in total joint arthroplasty to limit intraoperative blood loss and transfusion rates. More recently, the indications for TXA have expanded to knee and shoulder arthroscopy with promising early results. However, the effectiveness of TXA during arthroscopic rotator cuff repair (RCR) is unclear.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFWant AI Summaries of new PubMed Abstracts delivered to your In-box?
Enter search terms and have AI summaries delivered each week - change queries or unsubscribe any time!