Minimum 4-year follow-up of the PCA total knee arthroplasty in rheumatoid patients

One hundred twenty-one consecutive nonrandomized primary total knee arthroplasties in 94 patients were performed between 1980 and 1984 using the Porous-Coated Anatomic prosthesis in patients with a diagnosis of severe rheumatoid arthritis. Of the 94 patients, 81 patients were able to be followed for more than 4 years, with the remaining 13 dying from unrelated causes prior to the 48-month follow-up. Of those arthroplasties with 48-month follow-up, 55 were uncemented and 26 were cemented. An 81% good to excellent result was seen for the cemented group and a 91% good to excellent result for the uncemented group. The postoperative arc of motion for the cemented group was 94°, with the postoperative arc of motion in the uncemented group being 102°. In evaluation of component interfaces, there were almost no lucencies seen among the femoral group, with no component failures in either group. Thirty-six percent of the uncemented group developed nonprogressive radiolucent lines along the tibial tray; 97% of these radiolucencies were less than 1 mm. Complications in the cemented group included a revision of one patellar and one tibial component for component loosening. In the uncemented group, complications included one case of deep sepsis following an intra-articular injection, loosening of two patellar components requiring revision, and loosening of two tibial components requiring revision.