title: High incidence of loosening of the femoral component in legacy posterior stabilised-flex total knee replacement.
abstract: We have examined the results obtained with 72 NexGen legacy posterior stabilised-flex fixed total knee replacements in 47 patients implanted by a single surgeon between March 2003 and September 2004. Aseptic loosening of the femoral component was found in 27 (38%) of the replacements at a mean follow-up of 32 months (30 to 48) and 15 knees (21%) required revision at a mean of 23 months (11 to 45). We compared the radiologically-loose and revised knees with those which had remained well-fixed to identify the factors which had contributed to this high rate of aseptic loosening. Post-operatively, the mean maximum flexion was 136 degrees (110 degrees to 140 degrees) in the loosened group and 125 degrees (95 degrees to 140 degrees) in the well-fixed group (independent t-test, p = 0.022). Squatting, kneeling, or sitting cross-legged could be achieved by 23 (85%) of the loosened knees, but only 22 (49%) of the well-fixed knees (chi-squared test, p = 0.001). The loosened femoral components were found to migrate into a more flexed position, but no migration was detected in the well-fixed group. These implants allowed a high degree of flexion, but showed a marked rate of early loosening of the femoral component, which was associated with weight-bearing in maximum flexion.
authors.affiliation: Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Seoul National University College of Medicine, Dongjak-gu, 156-707 Seoul, Korea.
authors.forename: H S
authors.initials: HS
authors.lastname: Han
authors.forename: S-B
authors.initials: SB
authors.lastname: Kang
authors.forename: K S
authors.initials: KS
authors.lastname: Yoon
mesh_terms: D000203:Activities of Daily Living; D000368:Aged; D019645:Arthroplasty, Replacement, Knee / Q000379:methods / Q000534:rehabilitation*; D001696:Biomechanical Phenomena; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007720:Knee Prosthesis; D007723:Korea; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011183:Postoperative Complications / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000503:physiopathology; D011474:Prosthesis Design; D011475:Prosthesis Failure; D011859:Radiography; D016059:Range of Motion, Articular / Q000502:physiology*; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D016896:Treatment Outcome