UNCEMENTED MILLER-GALANTE TOTAL KNEE REPLACEMENT - THE INFLUENCE OF ALIGNMENT ON CLINICAL AND RADIOLOGICAL OUTCOME IN A 5-YEAR TO 8-YEAR FOLLOW-UP

Sixty-one primary uncemented Miller-Galante total knee replacements we re implanted in 55 patients between June 1988 and December 1990. The r esults of routine radiological and clinical follow up carried out at a n average of 1.3 years and 6.2 years after operation were used for eva luation. The Knee Society clinical score improved from 47.8 points bef ore operation to 83.3 points one year after, and had progressed furthe r to 87.6 points at the recent follow-up. The functional score improve d from 45 points before operation to 75.23 points at early follow up, and 81.3 points at the recent review. Although radiological analysis s howed that the femoral and tibial components overall were placed perpe ndicular to the mechanical axis of the limb, sufficient correction of the mechanical axis was not achieved to within +/- 10 nm deviation fro m the centre of the knee in 22 cases, with varus or valgus deformity r emaining. No early or late infection occurred in this series. The unce mented Miller- Galante total knee replacement shows good biological fi xation of both components. Wear of the metal-backed patellar and tibia l polyethylene lead to a revision rate of 19% after 5 years.