Leg-lift technique for simultaneous femoral, tibial, and patellar prosthetic cementing, ???rule of no thumb ??? for patellar tracking, and steel rod rule for ligament tension

Three helpful intraoperative surgical techniques in total knee arthroplasty will help the surgeon to obtain a sound bone–cement interface, good patellar tracking, and adequate knee stability without excessive ligament tension. These three simple techniques and tests require no added instruments but rely on the experience and judgment of the surgeon. They are described here and involve compressing curing cement into tibial and femoral bone, testing for good patellofemoral stability, and estimating proper collateral and posterior cruciate ligament tension.