Knee Arthrodesis in the Treatment of Failed Total Knee Replacement Medscape

Description: The recommended methods of achieving fixation for a knee arthrodesis following a failed knee replacement include external fixation or internal fixation using an intramedullary nail or plate. This is a retrospective review of 26 patients that had failed total knee replacements treated by knee arthrodesis occurring at a single institution over a 10 year period. External fixation was the primary arthrodesis procedure used in 13 patients while intramedullary nail fixation was used in the remaining 13. Six repeat arthrodeses with intramedullary nail fixation were performed for the treatment of nonunions after external fixation.
Though the patients in the two groups were not equivalent, our findings are consistent with that of others and support the hypothesis that intramedullary arthrodesis of the knee after failed total knee replacement provides a high union rate which is more predictable than arthrodesis using an external fixator.
Knee Arthrodesis in the Treatment of Failed Total Knee Replacement William Petty, MD Medscape General Medicine. 1999;1(1) full text