Total Knee Arthroplasty in Diabetic Patients

Chun, Churl Hong; Park, Jin Young; Kim, Jung Woo; Kim, Jong Yun

Abstract

PURPOSE: We investigated clinical and radiologic results and complications on diabetic patients with degenerative arthritis treated by total knee arthroplasty.
MATERIALS AND METHODS
From March 1995 to July 2002, 56 diabetic patients among 594 TKR patients was ananlysed. Compared group was 124 patients of no medical disease. There were 52 women and 4 men, with mean age of 65.3 years (49.6~78.2) at operation. Insulin-dependent (type I) was 8 cases and noninsulin-dependent (type II) was 48 cases. We compared preoperative and postoperative knee function score, HSS score, radiologic results and complications. Mean follow up period of 38 months (21~108 months).
RESULTS
HSS score improved preoperative mean 42 points to 86 postoperative and clinical knee function score estimated significant improvement (p<0.05) that 44 preop. to 82 postop. in DM TKR patients. There were 3 cases of infection (5.3%) including superficial wound infection 2 cases, deep joint infection 1 case. Deep vein thrombosis occured 2 cases (3.6%), wound problem 3 cases (5.3%), urinary infection 1 case (1.8%), cardiopulmonary complication 1 case (1.8%) and also high infection rate including wound problem (p<0.05).
CONCLUSION
Total knee arthroplasty improves knee function and pain relieve in diabetic patients. But owing to high postoperative risk of infection and complication, meticulous hemostasis and careful wound closure is mandatory.