Reconstruction of the Popliteus Tendon in Total Knee Arthroplasty
Total knee arthroplasty (TKA) is an established definitive treatment for end-stage osteoarthritis of the knee. Successful outcomes depend on re-establishing the joint line and mechanical axis, correcting deformity, and symmetric gap balancing. One potential intraoperative complication that could compromise results of TKA is an injury to the popliteus tendon. An injury to this tendon whereby it is transected during the distal femoral cut, or avulsed during knee manipulation and trialing, can cause gap asymmetry and instability in flexion. This could compromise TKA outcomes and cause implant failure and need for revision. Our purpose was to describe a novel intraoperative technique for reconstruction of the popliteus tendon that can be used to address intraoperative popliteus injury and restore flexion stability. This technique video presents a case example as well as demonstration of the surgical technique on a cadaver specimen that is simple and effective in restoring flexion stability and symmetric gap balancing.