Knee resection arthrodesis with allograft: a long-term follow-up study

A consecutive series of 57 patients treated by knee resection arthrodesis for malignant or aggressive tumor around the knee was reviewed. Infection was present only after repeated surgery for other complications, delayed union or non-union occurred in 50% of the cases that could be evaluated, but were still easy to manage. Fracture incidence was higher than expected (32.6%) even occurring after 10 years; this was difficult to deal with and it often led to failure. The best possible method of fixation is still being debated, but locked nail and allograft cementation is often advised. Several satisfactory functional results were however achieved when surgery was performed in young patients; final results can be less satisfactory when there is leg length discrepancy and poor acceptance on the part of the patient. In recent years this type of surgery has been limited to younger male patients (10 to 14 years of age) in whom extra-articular knee resection was required or when most of the quadriceps muscle must be removed.