THE STABILITY OF 3 DIFFERENT CEMENTLESS TIBIAL COMPONENTS - A RANDOMIZED RADIOSTEREOMETRIC STUDY IN 45 KNEE ARTHROPLASTY PATIENTS

We conducted a prospective, randomized study of 45 patients to evaluate 3 different uncemented tibial component designs in total knee arthroplasty. The stability of the components was assessed by radiostereometry (RSA), both as migration during 2 years and as inducible displacement at 2 years. The PCA resurfacing, the Tricon stem and the Tricon-M prosthesis groups showed a similar level of migration at 2 years, about 1.4 mm. In response to externally applied rotatory forces, the Tricon groups rotated more than the PCA group, interpreted as a consequence of the more conforming articular surface in the Tricon design. The series was divided into one group of continuously migrating prostheses with a poor prognosis (unstable, one third) and another group of prostheses in which migration stopped after 1 year (stable, two thirds). With this classification, no differences between the prostheses design groups were revealed. However, the unstable group showed a larger inducible displacement by provocation, an association hitherto not established.