10-YEAR FOLLOW-UP OF A BICONDYLAR UNLINKED KNEE ENDOPROSTHESIS WITH PARTICULAR REFERENCE TO MIDTERM RESULTS

This analysis, submitted retrospectively, evaluates 603 PCA-type or Du racon-type knee endoprostheses implanted in 527 patients over a 10-yea r period. In addition, the X-rays available in a group of 138 patients (100 women and 38 men) from the entire patient population were analys ed. All of these 138 patients were invited to come in for a follow-up examination. The invitation was accepted by 80 patients. As well as ra diological and physical examination, these patients were asked about t heir subjective physical condition in a semi-open questionnaire. The d ata obtained by the questionnaire is discussed in the Results section. The average age of the 397 women, of whom 61 were operated on in both knees, and 130 men, of whom 15 were operated on in both knees, was 68 years at the time of the operation. The 76 bilateral patients had the knee endoprostheses implanted within a mean interval of 17 months. Th e most frequent indications for surgery were primary and secondary gon arthrosis, followed by rheumatoid arthritis. The evaluation of the X-r ays from the above population of 138 patients revealed no radiological signs of loosening. No correlation between the time after implantatio n and the formation of radiolucent margins could be established. Those knee endoprostheses which were implanted with a varus deviation of mo re than 10 degrees did not yield a poorer result than those implanted perpendicular. In comparison with the cemented implants, the cementles s implants produced slightly better results.