Comparison of Functional Outcomes of Three Surgical Approaches in Knee Arthroplasty

TKA subjects:

Subjects will be selected and recruited from the MGH Arthroplasty Clinic. The surgical decision for TKA approach will be made prior to recruitment for the study.

Healthy persons:

Healthy subjects will be recruited through orthopedic departmental advertisement flyers and by word of mouth.

Inclusion Criteria:

• TKA subjects:

  1. Patients requiring primary knee arthroplasty;
  2. Knee osteoarthritis;
  3. Subject has sufficient quantity or quality of bone support;
  4. Subject has no previous or active infection in the affected joint or systemic infection;
  5. Subject judged to be available for follow-up through at least 1 year postoperative;
  6. All subjects in arthroplasty groups will be between 50-70 years of age

• Healthy subjects:

  1. Healthy subjects will have no complaints of knee pain or history of knee surgery or known arthritic knee changes.
  2. All subjects will have no history of prior lower extremity arthroplasty surgeries or systemic disease which could confound outcome measures.
  3. All healthy persons will be 40-70 years.

Exclusion Criteria:

1. Insufficient quantity or quality of bone support resulting from conditions such as cancer, femoral osteotomy, significant osteoporosis or metabolic disorders of calcified tissues;
2. Unable to return for follow up x-rays and clinical evaluation;
3. Unable to comprehending study protocol for any reason;
4. Systemic inflammatory joint disease (rheumatoid arthritis), previous infection or those requiring revision knee surgery;
5. Subject has an immunological disorder: immunosuppressive treatment characterized by markedly inhibited ability to respond to antigenic stimuli. Examples of such conditions include Subjects who are on immunosuppressive therapy (corticosteroid hormones in large amounts, cytotoxic drugs, antilymphocytic serum or irradiation in large doses), Subjects receiving therapy to prevent homograft rejection, Subjects who have a documented history of acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS), or auto-immune diseases;
6. Subject has a neurologic condition that would influence the results of biomechanical analysis of whole body movement.