Early results of total condylar knee arthroplasty

A total of 109 consecutive total condylar knee replacements in 73 patients were assessed at one to eight years postoperatively. The average age at surgery was 66.9 years and the range was from 52 to 84 years. The primary disease was rheumatoid arthritis in 12 and degenerative osteoarthritis in 97 knees. Out of the 109 prostheses; 101 were Miller-Galante kinematic condylar type I or II prostheses, seven were Insall-Burstern type I or II and one was a Whiteside prosthesis. The fixation technique was hybrid (only the tibial prosthesis cemented) in 63, both components uncemented in two and both components cemented in 44 knees. One hundred and five (96.3%) knees showed significant improvement in the Hospital for Special Surgery score postoperatively. The average preoperative score was 48.1 and the postoperative score was 85.4. Sixty-four patients (100 knees) were satisfied or very satisfied with the result of surgery. One hundred and four (95.4%) knees had achieved either an improvement in the range of motion and/or deformity. Complications included loosening in four (3.7%) knees, infection in three (2.8%), dislocation of the patella in four (3.7%), periprosthetic fracture in one (0.9%) and severe lateral collateral ligamentous laxity in one (0.9%).