TIBIOFEMORAL CONTACT MECHANICS WITH A FEMORAL RESURFACING PROSTHESIS AND A NON-FUNCTIONAL MENISCUS

Background: Increased contact stress with a femoral resurfacing prosthesis implanted in the medial femoral condyle and a non-functional meniscus is of concern for potential deleterious effects on tibiofemoral contact mechanics.Methods: Peak contact pressures were determined in seven fresh frozen human cadaveric specimens using a pressure sensitive sensor placed in the medial compartment above the menisci. A knee simulator was used to test each knee in static stance positions (5°/15°/30°/45°) and through 10 dynamic knee-flexion cycles (5°–45°) with single body weight ground reaction force (GRF) which was adjusted to the living body weight of the cadaver donor. All specimens were tested in three different conditions: Untreated knee (A); Flush implantation of a 20mm resurfacing prosthesis (HemiCAP®) in the weight bearing area of the medial femoral condyle (B); Complete radial tear at the posterior horn of the medial meniscus with the femoral resurfacing device in place (C).Results: On average, flush device i...