[Intra- and postoperative fractures in alloarthroplastic knee replacement]

Area of Science:

• Orthopedic Surgery
• Biomedical Engineering

Context:

• Total knee replacement (TKR) is a common orthopedic procedure.
• Aseptic and septic loosening are well-documented TKR complications.
• Femur and tibia fractures are infrequent but serious TKR complications.

Purpose:

• To report and analyze intraoperative and postoperative femur or tibia fractures in patients undergoing total knee replacement.
• To differentiate between causes of intraoperative and postoperative fractures.
• To highlight the rarity and potential causes of these specific complications.

Summary:

• This study reviewed 7 femur or tibia fractures (in 6 patients) that occurred during or after 163 total knee replacements implanted between 1971 and 1986.
• Intraoperative fractures were primarily associated with surgical technique.
• Postoperative fractures were attributed to a combination of prosthesis-specific factors and non-specific circumstances.

Impact:

• Understanding fracture causes can improve surgical techniques and patient selection for total knee replacement.
• Minimizing fracture risk enhances patient outcomes and reduces revision surgery rates.
• This case series contributes to the literature on rare but significant complications in total knee arthroplasty.