The Herbert total knee replacement: a longer than three year follow-up

Area of Science:

• Orthopedic surgery
• Biomaterials science

Background:

• Total knee replacement is a common procedure for end-stage knee arthritis.
• The Herbert total knee replacement is a specific implant design.
• Long-term functional outcomes and complication rates of implants are crucial for clinical decision-making.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the 3-year functional outcomes of the Herbert total knee replacement.
• To identify and quantify complications associated with this implant.

Main Methods:

• A retrospective review of 30 personally performed Herbert total knee replacements.
• Clinical and radiographic evaluation over a 3-year postoperative period.

Main Results:

• Only 12 out of 30 Herbert total knee replacements (40%) were functioning at 3 years.
• Six knees (20%) required revision surgery by the end of the first postoperative year due to symptomatic metal synovitis.
• The primary complication identified was foreign body synovitis, caused by metal debris from component friction.

Conclusions:

• The Herbert total knee replacement demonstrated suboptimal functional outcomes and a high complication rate within 3 years.
• Foreign body synovitis due to metal debris is a significant concern with this implant design.
• Further investigation into implant design and material wear is warranted for the Herbert total knee replacement.