Cementless total knee arthroplasty in juvenile onset rheumatoid arthritis

Twenty-two total knee arthroplasties with at least one cementless component were performed in 14 patients with juvenile rheumatoid arthritis (JRA) from 1985 to 1989. All 22 femoral components and ten tibial components were implanted cementless. The mean age at operation was 26 years. All 14 patients were available for follow-up evaluation at an average of 3.9 years (range, two to 6.2 years). Using The Knee Society's scoring system, the knee score improved from an average of 18 points (range, 0-47 points) preoperatively to 92 points (range, 58-100 points) at follow-up evaluation. The functional score improved from 28 points (range, 0-55 points) to 76 points (range, 40-100 points). Nonprogressive radiolucencies of less than 1 mm were observed in two knees. One reoperation was performed for failure of a metal-backed patellar component. Knee arthroplasty with cementless components in selected JRA patients can give results comparable with a fully cemented knee at the two- to six-year follow-up evaluation.