KNEE ARTHRODESIS IN THE MANAGEMENT OF THE INFECTED TOTAL KNEE ARTHROPLASTY: ANALYSIS OF A CASE SERIES OF 46 PATIENTS

Periprosthetic infection is a challenging complication of total knee arthroplasty (TKA) which reported incidence varies from 1 to 2% in primary TKA and 3–5% in revision TKA. Persistent infection of TKA may benefit from knee arthrodesis when all reconstruction options have failed. Knee arthrodesis also demonstrated better functional results and pain relief than other salvage procedures such as above-knee amputation.The purpose of this study was to analyze treatment results in patients who underwent knee arthrodesis following infected TKA.Retrospective study with review of the data of all patients treated in our department with knee arthrodesis for chronic infection of knee arthroplasty between 2009 and 2014. Clinical and radiographic data were evaluated as well as several variables: technique used, fusion rate, time to fusion, need for further arthrodesis and complications. Patients with less than 8 months of follow-up were excluded from this study.46 patients were treated with knee arthrodesis in our depa...