Arthrodesis after infected knee arthroplasty using long arthrodesis nail. A report of five cases.

ABSTRACT

Safe methods to perform secondary arthrodesis in the treatment of infected total knee arthroplasty (TKA) after revision arthroplasty has failed are increasingly needed as TKA becomes more common. Possible treatments include external fixation (with single- or double-framed fixators), internal fixation, or amputation. This article reports five cases of infected TKA treated with arthrodesis using a long intramedullary nail. Arthrodesis was performed in a two-stage manner, with surgical revision and insertion of a long intramedullary nail. All arthrodeses healed on an average of 4.8 months.