Permanent Resection Arthroplasty of the Knee as Limb Salvage Following Recurrent Periprosthetic Infection Complicated...

Permanent resection or excision arthroplasty of the knee involves the removal of any infected prosthetic material and thorough debridement, with no further reimplantation. The more common alternatives to permanent resection arthroplasty include knee arthrodesis or above-knee amputation (AKA).

We describe two cases of complex periprosthetic infections of the knee associated with subsequent osteomyelitis, which were unsuitable for re-revision arthroplasty. Both patients chose to remain with an excision arthroplasty, rather than undergo arthrodesis or AKA, respectively, and were satisfied with their quality of life at long-term follow-up.

Although permanent resection arthroplasty of the knee is rarely performed, it remains a limb salvage option in certain cases where bone loss is limited, functional demands are low, and further surgery may present a significant risk.