The effect of miscellaneous invasive procedures on subsequent total knee arthroplasty

Invasive orthopedic procedures were performed on 112 joints that underwent total condylar knee arthroplasty between November 1975 and February 1987. These knees were divided into six categories based on the most traumatic surgical procedure the patients had experienced. The six classifications were total knee arthroplasty, proximal tibial osteotomy, fracture fixation, patellectomy, arthroscopy, and debridement. Each group of knees was compared with the 579 primary arthroplasties performed during the same time period. The only group in which results were significantly less favorable than those of the virgin joints was the previous total arthroplasty category. All other surgical classification groups had knee scores, radiolucency frequencies, and ranges of motion comparable with those of the primary replacement surgeries. When surgical techniques are modified to insure proper soft tissue alignment, patients who have undergone previous invasive procedures on their knees can expect highly favorable results from total joint arthroplasty.