Staged total knee arthroplasty for bilateral complex knee deformities from Kashin-Beck disease and skeletal dysplasia

This study reported two cases of patients with Grade III Kashin-Beck disease (KBD) with skeletal dysplasia concomitant with complex knee deformity and functional limitation treated by staged total knee arthroplasty (TKA). Detailed pre-operative planning, bone resection, and soft tissue balancing in affected knees were performed in the surgeries in this report. The results demonstrated that TKA could correct lower limb alignment, alleviate knee pain, improve function, and provide good quality of life in people with KBD. Surgical efficacy is still lower compared with treatment for osteoarthritis; contributing factors include weak muscle strength, severe deformity and unequal length of the lower limb, weak extensor apparatus of the knee, and patient-specific factors.