Proprioception with bicondylar sledge prostheses retaining cruciate ligaments

The current study was designed to evaluate the proprioceptive performance of the knee after implantation of bicondylar sledge prostheses in comparison with contralateral knees and knees of healthy control subjects. After implantation of a sledge prosthesis in the medial and lateral condyles of a knee retaining all ligaments, 15 patients were evaluated clinically and by proprioceptive testing. Clinical examination was done using common scoring systems. Proprioceptive performance was examined using sway measurements during single-leg stance on a force platform. Eleven healthy subjects of the same age served as a control group. Clinical results of both groups differed significantly in all applied scores, except for the subcategories gait, muscle force, and pain. Sway measurements did not differ between right and left legs of subjects in the control group. The patients' surgically treated legs had slightly higher values than the control group, but a statistical significance was not found. Statistical analysis revealed no significant correlation between clinical scores and sway measurement results. Total knee arthroplasty that retains all intraarticular ligaments achieves proprioceptive results comparable with healthy subjects of the same age.