Total knee replacement in a resource constrained environment: A preliminary report

Total knee replacement surgery is relatively new in Nigeria and available in few centres only. It has been evolving at a slow pace because of the lack of facilities, structures and adequate surgical expertise alongside patient ignorance and poverty.

The aim of this article is to review the cases done in a resource constrained institution in Nigeria and report the short term outcomes.

All the patients that were booked for Total knee replacement, using same prosthesis over a 40 month period, were recruited into the study. Using a prepared data tool, information on personal biological information, clinical presentation, peri-operative management, and outcome of management were obtained after an informed verbal consent. All the patients were further followed up for at least one year.

45 knees were replaced in 38 patients. The age range of the patients was 41-85 years with a mean age of 62.6. The male to female ratio was 1: 4.4. The indications for surgery were a combination of pain and deformity. All the patients came with varying forms and degrees of angular deformities. Eight knees had bone defects that required bone grafting while 5 knees had tibia extension rods. The commonest complication, which was recorded, was drop foot (8.9%). Knee society pain scores in the patients improved from the average of 21.35 to 83.

Despite the challenges inherent in health care in developing countries, with proper institutional planning and team work, the short term outcome of arthroplasty in our resource constrained environment is good.