Comparison of the Clinical Results of Patients who Underwent PCL-retaining and PCL-substituting Total Knee Arthroplasty

Objective: This study aimed to retrospectively evaluate patients undergoing total knee arthroplasty (TKA) and compare clinical results of patients with posterior cruciate ligament (PCL)-retaining and PCL-substituting TKA. Method: The clinical results of 60 patients who underwent TKA (30 PCL retaining and 30 PCL substituting) at Düzce University Faculty of Medicine Hospital between September 2014 and September 2016 were evaluated and compared. The clinical results were evaluated using knee scores and knee functional scores according to the American Knee Society Criteria. Results: The mean postoperative flexion angles were 110.33° ± 5.71° (100°–120°) in the PCL-substituting group and 102.50° ± 5.69° (90°–110°) in the PCL-retaining group, the postoperative knee scores were 90.20 ± 5.16 and 84.07 ± 5.87, respectively, and postoperative knee functional scores were 80.60 ± 7.86 and 78.17 ± 7.25, respectively. Knee scores were significantly different between the groups (P < 0.001). There was no significant difference between the groups in terms of knee functional scores. Conclusion: Compared with the literature, knee scores of the PCL-substituting group yielded significant results, whereas the knee functional scores were similar to those of the PCL-retaining group. The results reported here indicate that clinical outcomes and survival are not different for either surgical option, and it is possible to achieve good results in both groups when appropriate soft tissue balance is achieved.