Purpose

This meta-analysis was designed to evaluate the effects of computer navigation on blood conservation after total knee arthroplasty (TKA) by comparing postoperative blood loss and need for allogenic blood transfusion in patients undergoing computer navigation and conventional primary TKAs.

Introduction

Knee joint should be aligned for reconstruction of the function in Total Knee Replacement(TKR). Although a surgeon try to correct the alignment of a knee joint, sometimes varus/valgus alignment has been tried in order to reconstruct function of knee joint. As a result, the varus or valgus alignment affects to ligaments and soft tissue, and the contact condition is changed between femoral component and tibial insert. One of important factor, wear characteristics of an implant can be changed due to the contact condition. In this study, we performed static contact tests from extension to flexion in varus and valgus to define the effect to contact condition when the alignment is varus or valgus.

Purpose: To introduce our surgical technique and report the clinical results of the knee arthrodesis with a Huck-step nail after a failed infected TKA

Materials and Methods: We retrospectively reviewed four patients who underwent knee arthrodesis with a Huck-stepnail after failed infected total knee arthroplasty. The average age of the patients at the time of the arthrodesis was 73 years (range: 70–79 years) and the mean number of previous surgical procedures was 3.2 (range:3–4 procedures). All patients had medical problems including diabetes mellitus and hypertension. We performed local bone graft in all cases. The duration of average follow-up was 20.2 months (range:12–36 months).

Results: Bone union was achieved within 1 year after arthrodesis radiologically. There was neither displacement of nail nor loosening. The average limb-length discrepancy was 3cm, measured clinically. All patients had a discrepancy that was corrected with a shoe-lift.

Conclusion: Arthrodesis with a Huckstep nail after failed infected total knee arthroplasty provides immediate axial and rotational stability and allows weight-bearing without use of external support.

Patella infera can cause knee pain and lead to patellofemoral osteoarthritis. Treatment is usually unsatisfactory. We describe a case of severe patella infera after operative treatment for fracture of the patella. We used Ilizarov external fixation and gradual lengthening of the patellar tendon. The patellar height was restored and the patient’s symptoms were much improved.