Posterior femoral impingement causing polyethylene failure in total knee arthroplasty

Several reports in the literature describe dislocation and fractures of the meniscal bearings as a result of polyethylene failure after total knee arthroplasty. In this case of an asymptomatic patient with a clinically uneventful 7-year follow-up, who died a year later of an unrelated cause, we found impressive damage of the polyethylene components. This damage, at the posterior corner of the meniscal bearing elements, was caused by regrowth of the posterior femoral osteophytes. The primary osteophytes had been resected adequately during the arthroplasty. These osteophytes are related to a bone-polyethylene impingement that occurs at >110 degrees of knee flexion. The possible range of motion of an artificial joint, owing to its design, is less than the range of flexion sometimes reached clinically by the patient. This is a problem that should be solved by the industry in the near future.