Total arthroplasty in ankylosed knees: a case series.
OBJECTIVE
To present nine patients with ankylosis in their knees that were submitted to a total arthroplasty to lessen their pain and improve their functional limitation. For these patients, arthrodesis remained a possibility in the event of arthroplasty failure.


BACKGROUND
Ankylosis of the knee is a severe functional limitation that becomes worse when pain is present. Arthrodesis of the knee is a classical indication for such patients, since it resolves the pain; however, the severe functional limitation remains.


METHODS
In the present study, we evaluated the clinical course of nine patients who underwent total arthroplasty of the knee, and were followed up for at least five years.


RESULTS
The results demonstrate that all of the patients experienced a significant reduction in pain and some improvement in the degree of knee flexion and extension.


CONCLUSIONS
Based on the latest follow-up, there has been no need to perform arthrodesis for any of our patients, showing that a total arthroplasty could be a option for treatment in knee ankylosis.
Camanho
Gilberto Luiz
GL
Institute of Orthopedics and Traumatology, Hospital das Clínicas, Faculdade de Medicina da Universidade de São Paulo - São Paulo/SP, Brazil. gilbertocamanho@uol.com.br