Internal fixation or revision total knee arthroplasty for the treatment of periprosthetic fracture after primary total knee arthroplasty / 中华骨科杂志

ABSTRACT

Objective:To analyze the clinical efficacy of internal fixation and prosthesis revision in the treatment of periprosthesis fracture after total knee arthroplasty.Methods:A total of 35 patients (35 knees) with periprosthetic fractures after total knee arthroplasty were retrospectively analyzed from January 2008 to January 2022 in the Department of Orthopaedics, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, including 13 males and 22 females, aged 71.4±4.1 years (range, 62-81 years). Left knee 19 cases, right knee 16 cases. There were 20 cases of Rorabeck type II and 15 cases of Rorabeck type III. The initial replacement was performed using a fixed platform post-stabilized knee prosthesis, which was fixed with bone cement. Patients with Rorabeck type II were treated with internal fixation alone (internal fixation group) and patients with Rorabeck type III underwent revision with replacement prosthesis (revision group). The Hospital for Special Surgery (HSS) score, range of motion (ROM) of knee joint, alignment of lower extremity and incidence of postoperative complications were compared between the two groups.Results:All patients successfully completed the operation and were followed up for 5.2±3.6 years (range, 1-12 years). Intraoperative blood loss was 680±102 ml (range, 420-1100 ml). The operative time in the internal fixation group was 105±17 min, which was less than 140±21 min in the revision group, and the difference was statistically significant ( t=-5.450, P<0.001). There was no complication of nerve or blood vessel injury during the operation. Five cases in the internal fixation group had unsatisfactory lower extremity force lines (>3° deviation from normal) after surgery, and all lower extremity force lines in the revision group were satisfied, and the difference in the satisfaction rate of lower extremity force lines between the two groups was not statistically significant ( P=0.057). The fracture healing time, knee ROM and HSS scores at the last follow-up were 5.1±1.3 months, 86°±5° and 84±5 in the internal fixation group and 4.8±1.5 months, 83°±6° and 82±4 in the revision group. One case in the revision group was diagnosed postoperatively with periprosthetic infection with pathogen culture suggestive of Candida albicans, recurrent anterior knee sinus tracts and patellar ectasia, which progressed to osteomyelitis, and mid-thigh amputation was performed 1 year after revision. Conclusion:The stability of prosthesis is an important reference for the treatment of periprosthetic fractures after total knee arthroplasty. Strong internal fixation in patients with unloosened prosthesis and revision with replacement of prosthesis in patients with loose prosthesis can achieve good knee joint function.