Effect of preservation versus sacrifice of the posterior cruciate ligament on clinical outcomes after medial congruent total knee arthroplasty using mechanical alignment: A systematic review and meta-analysis.

Study Summary

6 studies including 903 patients undergoing medial congruent (MC) total knee arthroplasty (TKA) using mechanical alignment (MA) were included in this systematic review and meta-analysis comparing posterior cruciate ligament (PCL) retention versus sacrifice. Pooled outcomes included the Knee Society Score (KSS), Oxford Knee Score (OKS), Forgotten Joint Score (FJS), range of motion (ROM), and postoperative complications. PCL retention demonstrated a statistically significant improvement in KSS at 12 months, although the difference was not clinically meaningful. No significant differences were observed in early functional outcomes, OKS, ROM, or complication rates. Overall, PCL retention and sacrifice produced comparable short-term clinical outcomes following MC TKA, suggesting that either approach represented a reasonable surgical option.