Abstract
BACKGROUND: Although total knee replacement (TKR) surgery has succeeded in improving pain and deformity, a proportion of patients remain incompletely satisfied with their outcome. This prospective study aims to assess the survivorship, clinical, and radiological outcomes using a novel 'kinematic retaining' (KR) implant. METHODS: 156 patients underwent TKR surgery for primary osteoarthritis using the Physica KR implant at three European Centres. Patients were followed up for five years using both radiographic and clinical evaluations. RESULTS: Within 6 months post-operatively, 79.4% and 85.9% had good-excellent clinical and functional KSS values, this was maintained to 76.9% and 79.5% at five years. Mean Knee Society Score (KSS) improvement at 5 years was 32.8 (from 23 to 40) and 37.4 (from 30 to 50) (p < 0.01). All Knee Injury and Osteoarthritis Outcome Score (KOOS) sub-scores showed statistically significant improvement from before surgery at a mean of 34.7 (SD ± 16.1) to a mean of 86.6 (SD ± 16.1) at five years. The mean Oxford Knee Score (OKS) was 43.7 (±5.6), with over 80% of the patients having a good-excellent outcome at five years. OKS improved significantly by six weeks after surgery (p < 0.01) and remained constant throughout the 5-year follow-up. Visual Analogue Score (VAS) Satisfaction scores improved significantly after the post-operative time point of six weeks. From 1 year to 5 years, the average VAS was over 85 mm. The Forgotten Joint Score (FJS) increased from 64.5 at 1 year to 79.2 at 5 years after surgery (p < 0.01). No progressive adverse radiographic features were noted. Two patients were revised during the study period: one for infection and the other for aseptic loosening. CONCLUSIONS: This novel 'kinematic retaining' knee prosthesis has shown exceptional clinical and patient-reported improvements, with a remarkable 99.4% survivorship (95.5-99.9) at five years.