Retropatellar contact characteristics in total knee arthroplasty with and without patellar resurfacing

Total knee replacement with and without pateller resurfacing was performed in 6 cadaver specimens. The contact pressure and contact ar ea between femu r and patella was measured at 60 degrees of flexion. In comparison to speci mens without resurfacing the specimens with small size resurfacing showed a significant decrease in contact area, whereas average and maximum pressure were unchanged. In specimens with medium size resurfacing, contact area an d average pressure increased slightly, whereas maximum pressure increased s ignificantly. Patellar resurfacing did not change the retropatellar pressur e, hut was associated with reduced contact area.