Three-dimensional finite element analysis of unicompartmental knee arthroplasty--the influence of tibial component inclination

Aseptic loosening and failure of a tibial component are recognized problems in unicompartmental knee arthroplasty (UKA). Excessive stress on the supporting cancellous bone is thought to contribute to the loosening and failure. Of factors that could influence supporting cancellous bone stresses, we focused on the inclination of a unicompartmental tibial component by analyzing the effect of coronal plane and sagittal plane inclination. Detailed geometrically accurate, three-dimensional finite element models were constructed from computed tomography (CT) data of a typical adult male proximal tibia. The material properties for the models were obtained directly from the CT data to simulate the inhomogeneous distribution of cancellous bone properties. Placing the component in slight valgus inclination in the coronal plane reduced the cancellous bone stresses. Posterior inclination in the sagittal plane caused a moderate increase in the stresses. Our results suggest that slight valgus inclination of a UKA tibial component may be preferable to varus or square inclination in the coronal plane. An excessive posterior slope of a tibial component should be avoided.