A device will be developed for the arthroscopic measurement of joint contact pressures in the human knee. This device will be used intraoperatively to measure the joint pressure distribution in cases of chondromalacia as a means of diagnosing the pathologic state of the knee and as a guide to the choice of therapeutic treatment. The device will function by inserting into the joint space a solid state pressure sensor array fabricated on a strip of polymer film. The joint will then be externally loaded and the resulting dynamic pressure pattern will be revealed by monitoring the sensor outputs with a PC-compatible computer. Entry and withdrawal of this pressure probe will be through a typical 5 mm arthroscopic portal. Phase I will result in the design and development of a prototype device and its testing in a cadaver knee. Phase II will involve a detailed correlation between measured results and observed pathologies in cadaver knees, followed by clinical demonstration.
