Ultrasonic MCL strain monitoring.
Research type
Research Study
Full title
In Vivo measurement of MCL strain pre and post knee arthroplasty using ultrasound.
IRAS ID
323566
Contact name
Gareth G Jones
Contact email
Sponsor organisation
Imperial College London
Duration of Study in the UK
1 years, 6 months, 31 days
Research summary
Knee arthroplasty is a surgical procedure during which an artificial knee joint replaces a knee that has become impaired due to, for example, osteoarthritis. This procedure has the potential to significantly reduce pain and restore joint range of motion and strength. One important aspect of the surgery is to properly tension the collateral ligaments, which are bands of fibrous tissue that connect the femur in the upper leg to the tibia and fibula of the lower leg. These ligaments play a vital role in stabilising the knee: leaving the ligaments too slack can lead to instability, while if they are too tight a patient can experience stiffness or pain.
Despite a rise in intra-operative assistive technologies that help to achieve the right level of tension in the collateral ligaments during the surgery, knee instability and stiffness are still prevalent and result in around 20-35% of revision surgeries. It remains unclear whether these complications arise due to changing collateral ligament tension as the body heals and adapts after the surgery.
We have developed an ultrasound strain imaging algorithm that can safely and non-invasively measure how the collateral ligaments are stretching as the knee is moved. In this study, we will use this technique to monitor collateral ligament function after surgery and investigate whether there is a change in the stretching behaviour and thus tension of the ligaments. Understanding how the ligament function is changing after surgery can in turn help guide future development of surgical techniques and implant design to reduce complications such as knee instability.
REC name
West Midlands - Black Country Research Ethics Committee
REC reference
23/WM/0162
Date of REC Opinion
13 Jul 2023
REC opinion
Favourable Opinion