Severe tibial bone loss in revision total knee replacement managed with structural femoral head allograft: a prospective case series from the Royal London Hospital

Knee. 2009 Oct;16(5):326-31. doi: 10.1016/j.knee.2009.02.007. Epub 2009 Apr 7.

Abstract

Large tibial bone defects may cause problems at the time of revision total knee replacement. We report on 15 patients (15 knees) followed at a mean of 5.4 years (33-115 months) who underwent revision total knee replacement for severe tibial bone loss using shaped femoral head allograft and Freeman-Samuelson revision components (Zimmer, Winterthur, Switzerland). The mean American Knee Society Score pre-operatively was 22.7 points (0-45) increasing to a mean of 77.2 points (15-95) after operation. The survivorship for the series at 6 years was seven out of nine knees. One patient required an above knee amputation at 3.5 years, whilst another underwent a second revision TKR procedure at 3.4 years. Thirteen knees did not require further surgery and showed a mean time for allograft incorporation of 1.9 years (12-36 months) with no component migration. Severe tibial bone loss at the time of revision TKR surgery is a difficult problem to treat. Our case series demonstrates that when shaped femoral heads are used as structural allograft along with long stemmed components a successful result can be achieved.

MeSH terms

  • Adult
  • Aged
  • Arthroplasty, Replacement, Knee / methods*
  • Bone Transplantation / methods*
  • Female
  • Femur Head / transplantation*
  • Humans
  • Knee Joint / diagnostic imaging
  • Knee Joint / physiopathology
  • Knee Joint / surgery
  • Male
  • Middle Aged
  • Osseointegration
  • Osteolysis / diagnostic imaging
  • Osteolysis / pathology
  • Osteolysis / surgery*
  • Prospective Studies
  • Radiography
  • Range of Motion, Articular / physiology
  • Reoperation
  • Tibia / diagnostic imaging
  • Tibia / pathology
  • Tibia / surgery*
  • Transplantation, Homologous
  • Treatment Outcome