The Fate of Highly Porous Titanium Tibial Cones in Revision Total Knee Arthroplasty: A Multicenter 5-Year Minimum...

The survivorship of tibial metaphyseal cones following revision total knee arthroplasty (rTKA) has been reported. However, literature comparing cone midterm survivorship (from five to 10 years after rTKA) between septic (infection history on the joint) and aseptic revisions is scarce. Therefore, we sought: (1) to assess the overall tibial cone survivorship rate after rTKA; and (2) to compare cone survivorship between septic and aseptic revisions.

A multicenter retrospective chart review of 231 patients who underwent rTKA using highly porous titanium tibial metaphyseal cones (June 15, 2015 to May 4, 2018) was conducted. A total of 80 patients were excluded, leaving 151 rTKA patients (40 septic and 111 aseptic knees) for analyses. Demographics and surgical characteristics were noted. The mean age and body mass index of patients were 64 years and 34.6, respectively. Survivorship rates of rTKA and tibial cones were established. The mean follow-up of surviving cones was six years (range, five to eight).

Of 151 patients included, 30 (19.9%) underwent a subsequent total knee arthroplasty revision. At the latest follow-up, according to the Knee Society grading system, 115 (95.0%) of surviving rTKAs were deemed stable, three (2.5%) warranted close observation, and three (2.5%) were loose. Only 14 (9.3%) tibial cones were ultimately extracted. Thus, the overall cone survivorship rate was 90.7% with no significant differences between survivorship rates of cones implanted during either septic (87.5%) or aseptic (91.9%) rTKAs (P = 0.52).

The survivorship of tibial metaphyseal cones was good at a minimum follow-up of five years with no significant differences in survivorship between septic and aseptic rTKAs. Our data support the use of highly porous titanium tibial cones to improve metaphyseal fixation during rTKA even when there is a history of a knee infection.