OBJECTIVETo identify possible reasons of rotational mismatch between tibial component and femoral component in total knee arthroplasty and choose a right reference axis for placing the components in the operation and to decrease the complications.

METHODSForty normal Chinese knees were studied. There were 20 men and 20 women, and average age was 34 years (range, 18 - 42 years). The images of cross sections of the distal femur were obtained by spiral CT scanning (0.5 mm thickness). Scan direction was aligned to be in the plane perpendicular to the mechanical axis of the tibia. On the images of the distal femur and the proximal tibia, three baselines for the anteroposterior axis of the femoral component were drawn based on the clinical epicondylar axis and the surgical epicondylar axis and 3 degrees lateral rotated to the posterior condylar surfaces of the femur separately, and a baseline for the anteroposterior axis of the tibial component was drawn based on the medial 1/3 of the tibial tuberosity. The rotational mismatch angles were measured between each component by using the Autocad software.

RESULTSThe mean rotational mismatch angle between tibial component and femoral component is 2.94 degrees for the clinical epicondylar axis, 6.50 degrees for the surgical epicondylar axis and 6.83 degrees for 3 degrees lateral rotation of the femoral component referenced to the posterior condylar axis separately.

CONCLUSIONSLandmarks of each bone were the intrinsic cause of the rotational mismatch in total knee arthroplasty. The clinical epicondylar axis can be chosen for the ideal reference to rotational alignment of the femoral component because of its minimal rotational mismatch between each component.