Long-Term Benefit of Knee Arthroplasty in Arthritis Patients

A 10-year follow-up study of posterior cruciate ligament-retaining total knee arthroplasty has found the procedure an excellent treatment option for rheumatoid arthritis patients.
Conducted by researchers from the department of orthopedic surgery, Rush-Presbyterian-St. Luke's Medical Center (Chicago, IL, USA), the study was published in The Journal of Bone and Joint Surgery (2001,83:1231-1236).

The research was prompted by recent reports of a high rate of later instability requiring revision in patients who had undergone the procedure. The prospective study involved 72 procedures performed on 51 patients with rheumatoid arthritis. All of the procedures were performed with the Miller-Galante I prosthesis. Deaths before follow-up reduced the number studied to 46 knees (32 patients). The researchers evaluated these clinically, with special attention to posterior instability, and radiographically at yearly intervals for a mean period of 10.5 years (range of 8-14 years).

The results showed a good or excellent result for 44 of 46 knees, although nine of the original 72 knees had revision of the implant, with six of the revisions due to failure of a patellar component. At 10 years, the rate of survival was 93% with tibial or femoral revision as the end point, and 81% with any re-operation as the end point. The researchers found no aseptic loosening and identified posterior instability in only two (2.8%, both in the same patient) of the original 72 knees.




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Journal of Bone and Joint Surgery