title: Treatment of the unstable total knee arthroplasty.
abstract: Instability is one of the leading causes of clinical failure after total knee arthroplasty. Instability can be categorized according to three basic patterns: AP or flexion space instability, varus/valgus or extension space instability, and global instability. Surgical options for treating instability include polyethylene exchange of a modular component, revision to a more constrained component, or revision to a hinged component. The results achieved with these surgical options vary for each type of instability. In general, the use of more constrained components to manage unstable knees is favored.
authors.affiliation: Anderson Orthopaedic Research Institute, Anderson Orthopaedic Clinic, Alexandria, Virginia, USA.
authors.forename: James P
authors.initials: JP
authors.lastname: McAuley
authors.forename: Gerard A
authors.initials: GA
authors.lastname: Engh
authors.forename: Deborah J
authors.initials: DJ
authors.lastname: Ammeen
mesh_terms: D019645:Arthroplasty, Replacement, Knee; D006801:Humans; D007593:Joint Instability / Q000601:surgery*; D007719:Knee Joint; D011183:Postoperative Complications / Q000601:surgery*; D012086:Reoperation; D016896:Treatment Outcome