A Clinical Alnalysis of Arthorodesis of the Knee Joint

Kang, Young Tae; Kim, Taik Seon; Choi, Young Jong; Shim, Jae Ik; Kim, Dong Eun

Abstract

In the past, arthrodesjs was a widely used procedure but in recent times, with the development of replacement arthroplasty, decreased in tuberculosis and polio. etc, it is not commonly used by orthopedic surgeons. However, for those in the young age group, people employed in hard labor and patients with acute inflammatory disease, arthrodesis is through to be more appropriate than replacement arthroplasty. From January 1980 to December 1985, 20 cases of arthrodesis of the knee joint were carried out. The results were follows.; 1. Methods of arthrodesis used were Charnley compression arthrodesis in 10 cases, Hoffman compression arthrodesis in 2 cases, cross pinning in 3 cases and and cross pinning with patella graft in 5 cases. 2. Bone union was seen in all 12 cases of compression arthrodesis at an average of 21.3 weeks while bone union was seen in 7 out of 8 cases of non-compression arthrodesis at an average 25 weeks. 3. Among the 20 cases, complication were pseudoarthrthrosis in one case, pin tract infection in 2 cases and skin necrosis in 5 cases. 4. Inconclusion of the above results, bone union was carried out in 19 cases out of total 20 cases, and compression arthrodesis showed faster bone union at an average of 3.7 weeks earlier than non-compression arthrodesis.