LONG-TERM RESULTS OF TOTAL KNEE REPLACEMENT IN RHEUMATOID ARTHRITIS – AT LEAST 10-YEAR FOLLOW UP

Abstract

We have analyzed the long-term clinical and radiological results of 169 total knee replacements(TKRs) for rheumatoid arthritis over 10 years. The average follow up period was 12.8(10–17.6) years.

The flexion contracture was improved from average 25.0 to 2.9 degrees. But the angle of great flexion had decreased from average 128.0 to 114.7 degrees. At the final follow up, the American Knee Society knee score was 87.5 and function score 76.5 in average. The revision arthroplasty was performed in 20 cases, but only 4 cases were done before 10 years after the primary TKRs. The survival rate of the implant was 97.9% at 10 years and 85.3% at 14 years in Kaplan-Meier survivorship analysis. But just after 10 years, problems such as osteolysis and periprosthetic fractures started to occur increasingly. 10-year follow up results is just the 10-year results only, not the long-term or final results of TKRs for rheumatoid arthritis.