Measured Resection versus Gap Balancing Technique for Femoral Rotational Alignment: A Prospective Study

Abstract

Purpose. To compare the measured resection technique and the gap balancing technique for correction of the femoral rotational alignment. Methods. 57 women and 6 men (mean age, 70 years) with end-stage osteoarthritis and ±15° malalignment and ±10° flexion contracture of the knee underwent primary total knee arthroplasty through the medial approach using the measured resection technique (n=34) or the gap balancing technique (n=29). Femoral rotational alignment was evaluated before and 7 days after surgery using computed tomography by referencing the 2 posterior condyles to the transepicondylar axis. Results. The 2 groups did not differ significantly in terms of correction of the femoral rotational alignment (3.4°±1.4° vs. 3.5°±3.1°, p=0.817). Conclusion. The measured resection and the gap balancing techniques achieved comparable correction of femoral rotational alignment.