School of Medicine

A new total knee arthroplasty (TKA) implant design provides surgeons with the option for intra-operative conversion from standard implants to an intermediate level of constraint. This is done using the same cutting blocks and guides, resulting in minimal added surgical time and effort. While ease of use and increased stability make this an attractive tool, this mid-level constraing (MLC) system does have drawbacks including increased expense and the addition of potentially unnecessary constraint. We sought to quantify our usage of this new technology and to determine the variables that dictate the decision to convert to MLC implants.