| Popis: |
Traditional total knee arthroplasty (TKA) relies on significant soft-tissue exposure to obtain access to the knee joint. The exposure is achieved by making extensive release of the quadriceps muscle, fully everting the patella, and dislocating the tibiofemoral joint. Extensive exposure is essential due to the large size of the instrumentation used in a TKA, whether for alignment, sizing, cutting, trialing, or implantation. Although a large incision and exposure may be advantageous in the operating room, it is clearly not advantageous for the patient post-operatively. Cosmetic issues, skin denervation, length of recovery, and function of the quadriceps mechanism are all negatively effected by traditional TKA approach [3]. |
