Survival and Functional Analysis of Implants in Total Knee Replacement

Bae, Dae Kyung; Cho, Chang Hyun

Abstract

PURPOSE
To analyse the survival rate and influencing factors and evaluate functional results in total knee arthroplasty.
MATERIALS AND METHODS
The survival of total knee replacement between 1982 and 1997 with a follow-up period of up to 16 years was estimated by Kaplan-Meier method. We analyzed clinically and radiologically 852 patients (1294 knees) who were followed up for more than one year (average 10 years, 3 months) . The average age at operation was 59.6 years. The patients had osteoarthritis in 913 knees (70.5%) and rheumatoid arthritis in 287 knees (22.2%) . Also, the knee function was evaluated according to the Functional Knee Scores of Hospital for Special Surgery.
RESULTS
The HSS knee score was improved from an average of 57.7 points preoperatively to an average of 90.2 points postoperatively. The results were satisfactory in 1189 knees (91.8%) . Revision surgery was performed in 53 knees of the 1294 knees (4.1%) . The survival rate with reliability, 13 years after operation, was 88.2%.
CONCLUSION
Factors influencing the survival rate were the diagnosis of disease, kind of implant and postoperative tibiofemoral angle. Total knee replacement is an effective and satisfying procedure which can relieve pain, correct deformity, restore function, improve quality of life and achieve long-term survival.