Effect of total knee arthroplasty implant position on flexion angle before implant-bone impingement.

We generated patient-specific computer models of total knee arthroplasty from 10 patients to compute maximum flexion angle before implant-bone impingement. Motion was simulated for 5 different femoral implant positions and 11 different tibial insert positions at 4 different tibial posterior slopes. In the neutral position, the mean maximum flexion angle was 136.3°. The range because of anatomical variation among patients was 13.0°. A combination of 2-mm posterior translation of the femoral component with a 10-mm anterior translation of the insert and a 7° posterior slope increased flexion by a mean of 14° relative to the neutral position. The rate of change in flexion angle was 0.4°/mm to 1.5°/mm with respect to implant position and 1.5°/mm increase in the posterior condylar offset.