Surface cementation of stemmed tibial components in primary total knee arthroplasty: minimum 5-year follow-up.

Cement remains the "gold standard" for fixation in total knee arthroplasty. Between 1991 and 1998, 128 consecutive knees in 109 patients underwent primary cemented total knee arthroplasty using a surface cementation technique. The average follow-up was 95 (range, 63-155) months. Preoperative range of motion (ROM) averaged 5 degrees to 111 degrees which improved to 1 degrees to 116 degrees postoperatively. Modified Hospital for special surgery score (HSS) scores improved from 61 (range, 47-76) to 97 (range, 81-100) and the corresponding Knee Society Scores from 122 (range, 94-152) to 195 (range, 162-200). No osteolytic lesions were found; however, 3 tibias had radiolucent lines which were asymptomatic, nonprogressive, and not associated with implant failure. The average depth of penetration of cement was 2.7 mm. One knee (1%) required revision surgery for femoral loosening, and 1 required revision of the polyethylene liner. The present cementation technique provides excellent durable results at midterm follow-up.

Clinical and radiographic analysis of accurate restoration of the joint line in revision total knee arthroplasty.

A clinical and radiographic analysis was performed on 89 consecutive revision total knee arthroplasties. The postoperative joint line position was evaluated and correlated with the clinical outcome. The joint line position was evaluated radiographically. Average follow-up was 8.2 years (24-197 months). Clinical outcome values were correlated to joint line position. More improvement was seen with recreation of the normal joint line to within +/-4 mm of the normal unaffected knee for Knee Society Score, average total arc of motion, flexion, and extension. There was a significant difference found for all 4 variables when combined outliers were compared with goal range (-4 to 4 mm). In this study, clinical outcome was improved if the joint line was accurately reproduced.

Treatment of infected total knee arthroplasty using an articulating spacer: 2- to 12-year experience.

UNLABELLED: Fifty consecutive patients with late infected total knee arthroplasties were treated by debridement and removal of all components and cement, preserving the collateral ligaments. At the time of debridement, an articulating spacer was made to allow partial weightbearing and range of motion of the knee during rehabilitation. This spacer was implanted using antibiotic-impregnated bone cement. For this purpose, 4.8 g powdered tobramycin was mixed with 40 g Simplex cement. Cement was applied early to the components, but applied late to the femur, tibia, and patella to allow molding to the defects and bone without adherence to bone. Patients had tailored intravenous antibiotic therapy for 6 weeks for treatment of various gram-positive and gram-negative organisms. All patients had cemented revision total knee arthroplasty using antibiotic-impregnated cement with standard cementing techniques. Range of motion before reimplantation was 6 degrees -91 degrees . Followup averaged 73 months (range, 24-150 months). The average modified Hospital for Special Surgery knee score after revision was 89 points (range, 70-100 points) with 90% good to excellent results, excluding the results of patients with reinfection. Range of motion after reimplantation was 4 degrees -104 degrees. Six patients had recurrences of infection, and one patient with a poor postoperative range of motion had a fusion. Use of an articulating spacer achieved soft tissue compliance, allowed for ease of operation, reduced postoperative pain, improved function, and eradicated infection equal to standards reported in the literature. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: Therapeutic study, Level IV (case series-no, or historical controls).

Ten-year experience using an articulating antibiotic cement hip spacer for the treatment of chronically infected total hip.

Infection is a devastating complication after total-hip arthroplasty. Between June 1991 and December 2001, 42 patients were treated at our center for chronically infected total-hip arthroplasty using a 2-stage articulating antibiotic hip spacer technique. Of the 27 patients available for review, 26 (94%) remain clinically free of infection at an average 76 months (range, 28-148 months) postoperatively. Twenty-two (81%) patients had a positive identification of the infecting organism. All patients received a minimum of 6 weeks of intravenous antibiotics and the Harris Hip Scores improved from 53 (range, 36-68) to 92 (range, 81-99) postoperatively. Advantages of this technique include improved patient function, maintenance of bone stock and soft tissue tension, thus simplifying reimplantation.