Recovery of full flexion after total knee replacement in rheumatoid arthritis--a follow-up study

Twenty-three of 327 patients with rheumatoid arthritis (38 out of 509 knees) had primary Yoshino-Shoji total knee replacements between 1984 und 1990 and were able to squat fully in the Japanese style after the procedure. Seven had died of conditions unrelated to their operations. Of the remaining 16, 5 were able to squat fully at follow-up; 2 were unable to do so, but had full passive flexion; 9 were unable to squat and did not have full flexion. The cumulative survival rates of patients able to squat were 82.2%, 65.7% and 47% at 2, 5 and 8 years after operation. At follow-up, 3 were able to walk out of doors for less than 30 min, 6 for 30 min or more and in 7 walking was unlimited. These results suggest that daily exercises are important in maintaining full flexion. The absence of complications may be due low body weight and limited activity due to the disease. patients with rheumatoid arthritis and low body weight can be encouraged to regain full flexion after total knee replacement if they wish to do so.