A Development of Force Distribution Measurement System in Total Knee Arthroplasty and Its Fundamental Results toward Clinical Examination

Abstract

Recently, the number of total knee arthroplasty (TKA) has been more than 0.7 million with the aging of population in Japan. The number has been more than double in comparing with 10 years ago. Although it is well known that the soft tissue balance is important for the TKA, there is a problem that it depends much on past experiences of an examiner in clinical situation. Thus, a non-expert doctor makes deviation of the balance due to insufficient experiences. Then, we have been developing a system could provide an objective criterion to reduce the deviation. This study reports a force distribution by using a pressure sensor in case of 20 kgF loading which is a value in real situation. The results show loading movement with force distribution in extention and 90 degree flexion. As a result, the force distribution should be more similar to clinical situation. As a future work, it is to improve the measurement precision, and to use in clinical examination.