Knee Arthroplasty.

Sculco T, Martucci E, eds. New York, NY 10010, Springer-Vertag, 2001, hardcover, 250 pp, illus, ISBN: 3-211-83531-8, $139.

This is a multifaceted text that provides in-depth coverage on most areas related to knee arthroplasty. The book contains 5 sections: "Biomechanics," "Surgical Technique," "Prosthetic Selection," "Complications," and "Miscellanea." The chapters, written by renowned specialists, are well organized and contain an introduction, comprehensive information, numerous well-incorporated figures, concise conclusions, and thorough bibliographies.

Section 1, "Biomechanics," contains 2 chapters with detailed information on knee biomechanics, prosthetic design, and patellofemoral function. Chapters 3 through 9 comprise section 2, "Surgical Technique." These chapters cover preoperative planning and prosthetic selection, surgical approaches, soft-tissue balancing, the patellofemoral joint, bone grafting in primary and revision total knee arthroplasty (TKA), TKA following a high tibial osteotomy, and TKA in the stiff knee. Section 3 includes chapters on unicompartmental knee arthroplasty, the posterior cruciate ligament (PCL) and TKA, PCL-substituting TKA, meniscal bearing knee arthroplasty, and the total internal constraint prosthesis. "Complications," section 4, contains chapters titled "Wound Complications in Total Knee Arthroplasty," "Mechanical Loosening of Total Knee Arthroplasty," "Treatment of the Infected Total Knee Arthroplasty," "Periprosthetic Fractures," and "Prophylaxis of Deep Vein Thrombosis After Total Knee Arthroplasty." The final section, "Miscellanea," includes brief chapters on blood management in knee arthroplasty, rehabilitation following TKA, and revision TKA.

The sole chapter dedicated to rehabilitation is 8 pages in length. This chapter provides a concise overview and includes subsections on preoperative evaluation, continuous passive motion, guidelines for continuous passive motion, gait training, therapeutic exercise, home care and outpatient services, sports and driving, and measuring functional outcomes. The chapter concludes with a brief list of references. The discussion of rehabilitation considerations throughout the rest of the text, however, is minimal.

The authors have achieved their intended purpose of providing a text covering "the most significant problems of knee replacement surgery"; however, the limited subject matter related to rehabilitation is disappointing. Because the majority of the chapters contain detailed information related to surgical techniques and prosthetic selection, physical therapists will most likely use this book as a reference to better understand

the less common knee arthroplasty techniques and indications for these techniques. Although the chapter on rehabilitation is very brief; the information contained in other chapters would help guide physical therapists in their selection of postoperative exercises. Although not recommended as a sole reference on knee arthroplasty, this text would be useful for clinicians providing care to a high volume of patients after a knee arthroplasty despite the limited information on rehabilitation.

Michael Rosenthal, PT, SCS, ECS, ATC Keller Army Community Hospital West Point, NY

Mr Rosenthal is a Resident in the United States Military-Baylor University Sports Medicine-Physical Therapy Doctorate of Science Program.