[Total knee arthroplasty in patients with rheumatoid arthritis].
BACKGROUND
Approximately 90% of patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) will have one or both knees involved during the course of the disease. Total knee arthroplasty (TKA) allows restoring function and relieving pain satisfactorily, but these patients perform in a different way than those with primary knee osteoarthritis.


OBJECTIVE
To evaluate the clinical and radiographic results of TKA in patients with RA.


METHODS
We analyzed retrospectively the data of 25 posterior stabilized total knee prostheses in 19 patients, available to an average follow-up of 6 years. The scores of Hospital for Special Surgery and of the Knee Society were used for clinical assessment.


RESULTS
The mean Hospital for Special Surgery score increased from 44 points (range 27-58) preoperatively to 80 points (range 58-91) at the final follow-up examination. Two prostheses required revision and removal of the implants because of deep infection, and two had clinical failure as defined by the Knee Society score. There were no cases of implant loosening.


CONCLUSIONS
Even though it is not free of complications, TKA is a good choice in patients with RA in the medium term follow up, with 80% of excellent and good results in our series.
Amenábar
Pedro Pablo
PP
Departamento de Ortopedia y Traumatología, Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile, Santiago, Chile. amenabar@med.puc.cl
Carrión
Marco
M
Apablaza
Daniel
D
Paulos
Jaime
J
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001172:Arthritis, Rheumatoid / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000601:surgery*; D019645:Arthroplasty, Replacement, Knee; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D007719:Knee Joint; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011859:Radiography; D012189:Retrospective Studies
Artroplastia total de rodilla en pacientes con artritis reumatoide.