title: Knee arthrodesis following prosthesis removal. Use of the Wagner apparatus.
abstract: Arthrodesis after the removal of a knee prosthesis is often hampered by the small area of contact of the bony surfaces and by pre-existing infection. Conventional systems of external fixation and compression frequently fail to achieve stability but the addition of the Wagner leg-lengthening apparatus applied anteriorly and adjusted to give compression ensures rigid external fixation. Four knees in four patients were treated using this technique; the treatment followed the removal of infected prostheses in three knees and painful fibrous ankylosis after the removal of the prosthesis in the other. All obtained a sound arthrodesis.
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001170:Arthritis, Infectious / Q000628:therapy; D001174:Arthrodesis / Q000295:instrumentation* / Q000379:methods; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007719:Knee Joint / Q000601:surgery*; D007720:Knee Prosthesis; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009984:Orthopedic Fixation Devices; D011183:Postoperative Complications / Q000628:therapy