抄録
Objective: Standard surgical exposure reduces blood flow to the patella during total knee arthroplasty (TKA). Reduction of patellar blood flow can result in patellofemoral complications, including osteonecrosis and patellar fracture, necessitating revision surgery. In TKA, avoiding patellar eversion is one type of minimally invasive surgery (MIS) technique.
Methods: Patellar blood flow during MIS TKA was measured using laser Doppler flowmetry in 40 patients. We measured patellar blood flow with the knee in both extension and 90° of flexion followed by lateral retraction and then eversion of the patella.
Results: A significant reduction in blood flow was noted when the leg was flexed from full extension to 90°. A significant reduction in flow was observed during eversion of the patella compared with the neutral patellar position in both knee extension and 90° of flexion.
Conclusion: MIS TKA without patellar eversion may be useful for preventing a reduction in patellar blood flow.
