Tibial post failures in a condylar posterior cruciate substituting total knee arthroplasty

J Arthroplasty. 2008 Aug;23(5):650-5. doi: 10.1016/j.arth.2007.08.002. Epub 2007 Nov 9.

Abstract

In posterior-stabilized total knee arthroplasties, a femoral cam and polyethylene tibial post are commonly used to restore posterior stability after sacrifice of the posterior cruciate ligament. This article reports a high incidence of early tibial post failures in one design of prosthesis and examines the variables that may have contributed to such. Five hundred sixty-four consecutive posterior-stabilized total knees were implanted in 512 patients, using a total knee prosthesis with a polyethylene tibial post and femoral cam. Clinical and radiographic outcomes were measured at a mean follow-up of 40 months after surgery (range, 24-83 months). At follow-up, 70 knees in 62 patients (12%) had undergone revision surgery because of symptoms related to catastrophic failure of the tibial post.

MeSH terms

  • Adult
  • Aged
  • Aged, 80 and over
  • Arthroplasty, Replacement, Knee / instrumentation*
  • Arthroplasty, Replacement, Knee / methods
  • Female
  • Femur / diagnostic imaging
  • Femur / surgery
  • Follow-Up Studies
  • Humans
  • Incidence
  • Joint Instability / etiology
  • Knee Prosthesis / adverse effects*
  • Male
  • Middle Aged
  • Polyethylene
  • Posterior Cruciate Ligament / surgery*
  • Prosthesis Design / adverse effects*
  • Prosthesis Failure
  • Radiography
  • Risk Factors
  • Tibia / diagnostic imaging
  • Tibia / surgery*
  • Treatment Outcome

Substances

  • Polyethylene