Ligament Balancing in Total Knee Arthroplasty

NCT ID: NCT06264076

Last Updated: 2025-11-25

Study Results

Results pending

The study team has not published outcome measurements, participant flow, or safety data for this trial yet. Check back later for updates.

Basic Information

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Recruitment Status

RECRUITING

Clinical Phase

NA

Total Enrollment

40 participants

Study Classification

INTERVENTIONAL

Study Start Date

2024-05-01

Study Completion Date

2026-12-31

Brief Summary

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The goal of this interventional pilot study is to evaluate if performing ligament balancing on the medial collateral ligament (MCL) in a more systematical manner with a novel instrument can produce more objective and repeatable ligament lengthening in Total Knee Arthroplasty. The main questions it aim to answer are:

1. Is it feasible to perform systematic ligament balancing on the MCL using a novel instrument?
2. Can a novel instrument for ligament balancing acquire more objective and repeatable results, without risk of injury?

Participants must consent prior to the surgery, but inclusion is only done once ligament balancing is indicated during surgery. Patients will be follow-up as standard protocol for Total Knee Arthroplasty patients at the hospital.

Detailed Description

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Varus deformity is the most common deformity (60-80%) in patients undergoing total knee arthroplasty (TKA). In varus knees, there could be shortening of medial structures; therefore, if mechanical alignment is the goal, perpendicular bone cuts could produce a trapezoidal gap between the femur and tibia, with a shorter medial side. This imbalance should be corrected through ligament balancing as it is seen as a prerequisite for good function and survival. Aunan et al. found ligament balancing to be necessary in 70 of 100 consecutive TKAs.

Several ligament balancing techniques exist and most focus on lengthening the soft tissue on the concave side of the knee. Bellemans' and Whiteside's techniques are examples of ligament balancing procedures. In varus knees Bellemans' technique is performed with multiple perforations (pie-crusting) of the medial collateral ligament (MCL), while Whiteside's technique is performed with sequential ligament and soft tissue release, where the MCL is evaluated first. However, no technique has proved clinically superior to others. In traditional methods, it is difficult to reliably predict ligament lengthening and it relies on the performing surgeons' feel and experience. Aunan et al. found wide variation in lengthening achieved using Whiteside's technique. Therefore, the investigators have developed a novel device, which aspires to further develop Bellemans' technique and produce repeatable soft tissue lengthening of the MCL.

In varus knees the most important structure in ligament balancing is the superficial and deep MCL (hereafter MCL). Bellemans' technique is a proven technique, which uses an end-cutting cannula to puncture the MCL by freehand, with the objective of severing some ligament fibers. When the force applied to the ligament is kept constant, each remaining fiber will be exposed to a higher force and lengthen. Bellemans' technique lacks an objective method of guiding the puncturing, and the execution and results therefore vary. The novel instrument invented by the investigators, has a specific grid that objectively guides perpendicular puncturing using an end-cutting cannula and evenly distributes punctures throughout the ligament, which will produce a predefined spread of punctures and severing of fibers. The investigators believe this grid is key to achieving repeatable lengthening of the MCL, and promising results have been shown in porcine and human cadaveric tissue.

Conditions

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Ligament; Laxity, Knee Knee Osteoarthritis

Study Design

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Allocation Method

NON_RANDOMIZED

Intervention Model

SINGLE_GROUP

Prospective, single-group, non-blind, interventional study
Primary Study Purpose

TREATMENT

Blinding Strategy

NONE

Non-blind

Study Groups

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Single interventional group at Bærum Hopsital Vestre Viken Hospital Trust

Patients that need ligament balancing will receive the procedure using a novel instrument under knee arthroplasty surgery. BrainLab navigation will be used to evaluate ligament balancing. Performed av Bærum Hospital Vestre Viken Hospital Trust

Group Type EXPERIMENTAL

A novel instrument for ligament balancing in total knee arthroplasty

Intervention Type DEVICE

Patients will be evaluated perioperatively for ligament balance. When indicated, the novel instrument will guide puncturing of the medial collateral ligament in a systematic and step-wise fashion. Achieved ligament balance will be observed and controlled by computer navigation and a ligament tensor. Performed at Bærum Hospital vestre Viken Hospital Trust.

Single interventional group at OUH Ullevål Hospital

Singel group non-blin interventional study group receiving ligament balancing performed using a novel instrument. Ligament balancing will be evaluated using conventional instruments.

Group Type EXPERIMENTAL

Novel Instrument for ligament balancing in knee arthroplasty

Intervention Type DEVICE

Patients will be evaluated perioperatively for ligament balance. When indicated, the novel instrument will guide puncturing of the medial collateral ligament in a systematic and step-wise fashion. Achieved ligament balance will be observed and controlled by conventional methods using spatulas.

Interventions

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A novel instrument for ligament balancing in total knee arthroplasty

Patients will be evaluated perioperatively for ligament balance. When indicated, the novel instrument will guide puncturing of the medial collateral ligament in a systematic and step-wise fashion. Achieved ligament balance will be observed and controlled by computer navigation and a ligament tensor. Performed at Bærum Hospital vestre Viken Hospital Trust.

Intervention Type DEVICE

Novel Instrument for ligament balancing in knee arthroplasty

Patients will be evaluated perioperatively for ligament balance. When indicated, the novel instrument will guide puncturing of the medial collateral ligament in a systematic and step-wise fashion. Achieved ligament balance will be observed and controlled by conventional methods using spatulas.

Intervention Type DEVICE

Eligibility Criteria

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Inclusion Criteria

* Men and women over 40 years of age that require total knee arthroplasty
* Idiopathic osteoarthrosis, osteonecrosis or avascular osteonecrosis
* Otherwise fairly healthy/ no significant health issues

Exclusion Criteria

* Age under 40 years of age
* Pregnant
* Revisions or reoperations
* Considerable earlier injury to the knee
* Isolated patellofemoral osteoarthrosis
Minimum Eligible Age

40 Years

Eligible Sex

ALL

Accepts Healthy Volunteers

No

Sponsors

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Vestre Viken Hospital Trust

OTHER

Sponsor Role collaborator

Oslo University Hospital

OTHER

Sponsor Role lead

Responsible Party

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Lars Engseth

MD, orthopaedic consultant

Responsibility Role PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATOR

Principal Investigators

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Lars HW Engseth, MD

Role: PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATOR

Oslo University Hospital, Ullevaal, Oslo, Norway

Jarle Vik, MD

Role: PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATOR

Baerum Hospital, Vestre Viken Hospital Trust, Baerum, Norway

Locations

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Bærum Hospital, Vestre Viken Hospital Trust

Bærums verk, Akershus, Norway

Site Status COMPLETED

Oslo University Hospital, Ullevaal

Oslo, Oslo County, Norway

Site Status RECRUITING

Countries

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Norway

Central Contacts

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Lars HW Engseth, MD

Role: CONTACT

004741254136

Jarle Vik, MD

Role: CONTACT

004793844926

Facility Contacts

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Lars HW Engseth, MD

Role: primary

004741254136

References

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Verdonk PC, Pernin J, Pinaroli A, Ait Si Selmi T, Neyret P. Soft tissue balancing in varus total knee arthroplasty: an algorithmic approach. Knee Surg Sports Traumatol Arthrosc. 2009 Jun;17(6):660-6. doi: 10.1007/s00167-009-0755-7. Epub 2009 Mar 17.

Reference Type BACKGROUND
PMID: 19290507 (View on PubMed)

Bellemans J. Multiple needle puncturing: balancing the varus knee. Orthopedics. 2011 Sep 9;34(9):e510-2. doi: 10.3928/01477447-20110714-48.

Reference Type BACKGROUND
PMID: 21902147 (View on PubMed)

Bellemans J, Vandenneucker H, Van Lauwe J, Victor J. A new surgical technique for medial collateral ligament balancing: multiple needle puncturing. J Arthroplasty. 2010 Oct;25(7):1151-6. doi: 10.1016/j.arth.2010.03.007. Epub 2010 May 10.

Reference Type BACKGROUND
PMID: 20452181 (View on PubMed)

Aunan E, Kibsgard T, Clarke-Jenssen J, Rohrl SM. A new method to measure ligament balancing in total knee arthroplasty: laxity measurements in 100 knees. Arch Orthop Trauma Surg. 2012 Aug;132(8):1173-81. doi: 10.1007/s00402-012-1536-1. Epub 2012 May 13.

Reference Type BACKGROUND
PMID: 22581351 (View on PubMed)

Neogi T. The epidemiology and impact of pain in osteoarthritis. Osteoarthritis Cartilage. 2013 Sep;21(9):1145-53. doi: 10.1016/j.joca.2013.03.018.

Reference Type BACKGROUND
PMID: 23973124 (View on PubMed)

Beswick AD, Wylde V, Gooberman-Hill R, Blom A, Dieppe P. What proportion of patients report long-term pain after total hip or knee replacement for osteoarthritis? A systematic review of prospective studies in unselected patients. BMJ Open. 2012 Feb 22;2(1):e000435. doi: 10.1136/bmjopen-2011-000435. Print 2012.

Reference Type BACKGROUND
PMID: 22357571 (View on PubMed)

Aunan E, Rohrl SM. No detrimental effect of ligament balancing on functional outcome after total knee arthroplasty: a prospective cohort study on 129 mechanically aligned knees with 3 years' follow-up. Acta Orthop. 2018 Oct;89(5):548-554. doi: 10.1080/17453674.2018.1485283. Epub 2018 Jun 8.

Reference Type BACKGROUND
PMID: 29883259 (View on PubMed)

Whiteside LA. Soft tissue balancing: the knee. J Arthroplasty. 2002 Jun;17(4 Suppl 1):23-7. doi: 10.1054/arth.2002.33264.

Reference Type BACKGROUND
PMID: 12068398 (View on PubMed)

Fang DM, Ritter MA, Davis KE. Coronal alignment in total knee arthroplasty: just how important is it? J Arthroplasty. 2009 Sep;24(6 Suppl):39-43. doi: 10.1016/j.arth.2009.04.034. Epub 2009 Jun 24.

Reference Type BACKGROUND
PMID: 19553073 (View on PubMed)

Abdel MP, Ollivier M, Parratte S, Trousdale RT, Berry DJ, Pagnano MW. Effect of Postoperative Mechanical Axis Alignment on Survival and Functional Outcomes of Modern Total Knee Arthroplasties with Cement: A Concise Follow-up at 20 Years. J Bone Joint Surg Am. 2018 Mar 21;100(6):472-478. doi: 10.2106/JBJS.16.01587.

Reference Type BACKGROUND
PMID: 29557863 (View on PubMed)

Magnussen RA, Weppe F, Demey G, Servien E, Lustig S. Residual varus alignment does not compromise results of TKAs in patients with preoperative varus. Clin Orthop Relat Res. 2011 Dec;469(12):3443-50. doi: 10.1007/s11999-011-1988-6. Epub 2011 Jul 26.

Reference Type BACKGROUND
PMID: 21789710 (View on PubMed)

Babazadeh S, Stoney JD, Lim K, Choong PF. The relevance of ligament balancing in total knee arthroplasty: how important is it? A systematic review of the literature. Orthop Rev (Pavia). 2009 Oct 10;1(2):e26. doi: 10.4081/or.2009.e26.

Reference Type BACKGROUND
PMID: 21808688 (View on PubMed)

Mihalko WM, Whiteside LA, Krackow KA. Comparison of ligament-balancing techniques during total knee arthroplasty. J Bone Joint Surg Am. 2003;85-A Suppl 4:132-5. doi: 10.2106/00004623-200300004-00018. No abstract available.

Reference Type BACKGROUND
PMID: 14652405 (View on PubMed)

Robinson JR, Bull AM, Amis AA. Structural properties of the medial collateral ligament complex of the human knee. J Biomech. 2005 May;38(5):1067-74. doi: 10.1016/j.jbiomech.2004.05.034.

Reference Type BACKGROUND
PMID: 15797588 (View on PubMed)

Koh IJ, Kwak DS, Kim TK, Park IJ, In Y. How effective is multiple needle puncturing for medial soft tissue balancing during total knee arthroplasty? A cadaveric study. J Arthroplasty. 2014 Dec;29(12):2478-83. doi: 10.1016/j.arth.2013.11.004. Epub 2013 Nov 9.

Reference Type BACKGROUND
PMID: 24360488 (View on PubMed)

Engseth LHW, Gronsund J, Aunan E, Brattgjerd JE, Schulz A, Moatshe G, Rohrl SM. A novel instrument for ligament balancing: a biomechanical study in human cadaveric knees. J Exp Orthop. 2023 Aug 16;10(1):83. doi: 10.1186/s40634-023-00643-7.

Reference Type BACKGROUND
PMID: 37584812 (View on PubMed)

Liu F, Yue B, Gadikota HR, Kozanek M, Liu W, Gill TJ, Rubash HE, Li G. Morphology of the medial collateral ligament of the knee. J Orthop Surg Res. 2010 Sep 16;5:69. doi: 10.1186/1749-799X-5-69.

Reference Type BACKGROUND
PMID: 20846377 (View on PubMed)

Aglietti P, Lup D, Cuomo P, Baldini A, De Luca L. Total knee arthroplasty using a pie-crusting technique for valgus deformity. Clin Orthop Relat Res. 2007 Nov;464:73-7. doi: 10.1097/BLO.0b013e3181591c48.

Reference Type BACKGROUND
PMID: 17975373 (View on PubMed)

Related Links

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https://reports.njrcentre.org.uk

National Joint Registry

https://www.aaos.org/registries/publications/ajrr-annual-report/

The American Joint Replacement Registry Annual Report. American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons.

Other Identifiers

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CIV-NO-23-09-043976

Identifier Type: OTHER

Identifier Source: secondary_id

686340

Identifier Type: -

Identifier Source: org_study_id

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