title: Total knee arthroplasty after patellectomy.
abstract: We compared the outcome of total knee arthroplasty in 19 patients who had had previous patellectomy with the results in a matched series of arthroplasties performed on knees in which the patella was intact. The mean follow-up was 63 months (21 to 114). In the study group, the outcome was poor in five patients. There was instability in the coronal plane in three patients and persistent pain in four. Three supracondylar fractures occurred. The overall complication rate was 36%. In the control group, pain was relieved in every case and there were no complications. Total knee arthroplasty has a higher complication rate and inferior results if the knee has undergone prior patellectomy.
authors.affiliation: Centre for Hip Surgery, Wrightington Hospital for Joint Disease, Wigan, Lancashire, UK.
authors.forename: A B
authors.initials: AB
authors.lastname: Joshi
authors.forename: C M
authors.initials: CM
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Markovic
authors.forename: J C
authors.initials: JC
authors.lastname: Murphy
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Hardinge
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001172:Arthritis, Rheumatoid / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000601:surgery*; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D007719:Knee Joint / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000601:surgery*; D007720:Knee Prosthesis; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010003:Osteoarthritis / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000601:surgery*; D010329:Patella / Q000601:surgery*; D011183:Postoperative Complications / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology / Q000601:surgery*; D011300:Preoperative Care; D011474:Prosthesis Design; D011859:Radiography; D016059:Range of Motion, Articular; D012086:Reoperation