The Knee
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We investigated the physical characteristics and symptoms related to kneeling in a normal population. One hundred people were recruited at random. Of these, 27 subjects had knee pain and 73 were normal. ⋯ The 27 subjects with knee pain were able to kneel at 90 degrees with an average of 97% of their body weight and in full flexion with an average of 50% of their body weight. Weight transmitted through the knees at full flexion is significantly less than when at 90 degrees whether subjects had pain or not. Future development of knee arthroplasty, when catering for kneeling might need to concentrate on achieving a better range of movement.
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Femoral fracture may predispose the knee to the development of post-traumatic arthritis by either a direct intra-articular injury or residual limb malalignment. Malunion, intra-articular osseous defects, limb malalignment, retained internal fixation devices, and compromised surrounding soft tissues may in turn affect the outcome of total knee arthroplasty (TKA) in these patients. The aim of our study was to evaluate the result of TKA in patients with previous distal femoral fracture. ⋯ Significant improvement in function and relief of pain is seen in the vast majority of patients with previous distal femoral fractures undergoing subsequent TKA. However, these patients are at increased risk for restricted motion and perioperative complications following TKA. Special efforts to preserve the vascularity of the skin and subcutaneous tissues, restore limb alignment, ensure correct component positioning, and achieve soft tissue balance may help minimize the problems identified in this study.
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A pilot study assessed the feasibility of discharging NHS patients undergoing knee replacement within a day of surgery. Seven patients with medial compartment osteoarthritis were recruited after fulfilling strict exclusion criteria. Pre-operative assessment revealed that all patients had significant dysfunction and pain before operation. ⋯ The average pain score for the first 2 weeks after surgery was 2/10. At 6 weeks, knee flexion averaged 125 degrees and all patients were walking independently and painfree. The new protocol allows for early, safe discharge of patients undergoing unicompartmental knee replacement.
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Randomized Controlled Trial Clinical Trial
High tibial osteotomy versus unicompartmental joint replacement in unicompartmental knee joint osteoarthritis: 7-10-year follow-up prospective randomised study.
The clinical outcome of patients treated either by high tibial osteotomy or unicompartmental arthroplasty for medial unicompartmental osteoarthritis of the knee was compared in a prospective randomised study. In total, 32 patients received a high tibial osteotomy (HTO) and 28 patients a unicompartmental arthroplasty (UKA). More intra- and postoperative complications were observed after HTO. ⋯ Using the Knee Society Score, 71% (15) of patients after osteotomy and 65% (13) after replacement had a knee score of excellent or good 7-10 years postoperatively. The Kaplan-Meier survival analysis 7-10 years postoperatively showed a survivorship of 77% for UKA and 60% for HTO. Although the unicompartmental prosthesis used in this series has not shown promising results, we conclude that with the advanced design of unicompartmental prosthesis today, UKA offers better long-term success.