The kinematic alignment technique for total knee arthroplasty

Abstract

The kinematic alignment technique (KA) for total knee arthroplasty (TKA) is a surgical technique recently developed that aims to anatomically position and kinematically align total knee components [1]. The kinematic implantation aims to resurface the knee joint by removing a cartilage and bone thickness equivalent to the implant thickness and where the knee implants are aligned on the knee kinematic axes that dictate motion of the patella and tibia around the distal femoral epiphysis [2-4]. Similar to unicompartmental knee replacement, kinematically aligning total knee components restores the constitutional knee joint line orientation and the physiological knee laxity without the need for soft-tissue release [5] (Fig. 16.1).