Comparison of Six-Week, Three-Month, and One-Year Postoperative Clinical Results of Kinematic and Mechanical Alignment in Primary Medial Pivot Total Knee Arthroplasty.

BACKGROUND

Total knee replacement (TKR) is a common surgical solution for severe osteoarthritis. Kinematic alignment (KA) and mechanical alignment (MA) are two popular techniques. There is ongoing debate over the optimal method, influenced by varying long-term results and a scarcity of data on short-term postoperative outcomes. Early evaluation of these techniques is vital for improving rehabilitation outcomes and ensuring patient satisfaction.  Methods: This study retrospectively analyzed outcomes from 71 KA-TKRs and 85 MA-TKRs performed between 2019 and 2021. Knee flexion, visual analog scale (VAS) scores, EuroQol-5d (EQ-5d) quality of life measures, and dependence on walking aids were evaluated. Evaluations were conducted at baseline, six-weeks, three-months, and 12-months postoperatively using two-sample t-tests for continuous data and Pearson's chi-squared test for categorical data.

RESULTS

At six-weeks and three-months postoperatively, the KA group exhibited significantly better outcomes in knee flexion (98.6° vs. 90.2° at six-weeks; 114.7° vs. 94.2° at three-months), pain management, and reduced walking aids compared to the MA group. By 12-months, these differences were no longer significant, with both groups showing comparable results in knee flexion, pain scores, and patient-reported outcomes.  Conclusion: KA offers substantial short-term advantages over MA for pain relief, increased knee flexion, and independence from walking aids. However, these benefits do not persist at one-year post-surgery, indicating a convergence of outcomes between the two techniques. Larger studies with extended follow-ups are required to determine the long-term implications of these alignment strategies.