Abstract
Purpose: To review long-term outcome following knee arthrodesis, and compare this with patient outcome following revision knee arthroplasty.
Methods: Case notes and radiographs of patients who underwent arthrodesis using the Mayday nail were reviewed retrospectively for evidence of clinical and radiological union. Patients also completed an SF12 health survey and Oxford knee score in the form of postal questionnaires. Each patient was matched with patients who had undergone revision knee arthoplasty and the outcomes were compared.
Results: 19 patients were reviewed who underwent knee arthrodesis using a Mayday nail in two centres between 1993 and 2004. 18 cases had united clinically and radiologically with one case lost to follow-up. Mean SF12 scores of patients following knee arthrodesis indicated severe physical (28.8) but only mild mental (43.3) disabilities. The mean Oxford knee score in this group was 41.0. These results were comparable with matched patients following revision knee arthroplasty who scores 27.2 (physical) and 41.1 (mental) on the SF12, and a mean of 38.8 on the Oxford knee score.
Conclusion: Outcome scores following knee arthrodesis were similar to those following revision knee arthroplasty making it an option worth considering in selected patients requiring revision surgery.
Discussion: The Mayday nail provides a method of knee arthrodesis with a high union rate and an acceptable complication rate. Outcome scores following arthrod-esis were not dissimilar to those following revision total knee replacement. These results suggest that knee arthrodesis may be considered as an acceptable alternative to complex knee revision surgery.
Correspondence should be addressed to: Tim Wilton, BASK, c/o BOA, The Royal College of Surgeons, 35–43 Lincoln’s Inn Fields, London WC2A 3PE.
