The aim of the thesis was to to assess with accurate and objective methods the function and fixation of total knee prostheses with special emphasis on mobile bearing total knee designs. The mobile... Show moreThe aim of the thesis was to to assess with accurate and objective methods the function and fixation of total knee prostheses with special emphasis on mobile bearing total knee designs. The mobile bearing of a rotating platform design showed limited motion or no motion during a step-up task thereby nullifying the theoretical advantages of a mobile bearing prosthesis. Apatite coated implants show excellent mid-term Roentgen Stereophotogrammetric Analysis (RSA) results and offer some clinical advantages above cemented total knee arthroplasty. A prospective RSA study also revealed that the studied mobile bearing design is more predictable and forgiving with respect to micromotion of the tibial component than a posterior stabilised prosthesis. However, mobile bearing prostheses showed to be more demanding for the soft tissue structures surrounding the knee joint. The techniques used in gait analysis and fluoroscopy are sensitive for measurement errors. This restricts the applicability and interpretation of the results acquired when using these methods. In general one needs to be aware of the limitations of measurement tools since one needs accurate and objective methods to assess evidence about the clinical performance of (new) total knee prostheses. Show less
