Functional And Clinical Results Of Posterior Cruciate Ligament–Retaining Total Knee Arthroplasty In Patients With Rheumatoid Arthritis: A 3- To 5-Year Follow-Up Study

Abstract

Aim: Total knee arthroplasty (TKA) is frequently carried out to alleviate pain and enhance mobility in individuals     suffering from rheumatoid arthritis (RA). Nonetheless, the utilization of posterior cruciate ligament–retaining (CR-type) TKA is subject to debate, particularly among RA patients. This study endeavors to scrutinize the clinical outcomes of CR-type TKA and assess its effectiveness in managing RA patients.

Methods: In our hospital, 77 CR-type TKA procedures were performed in 59 patients with RA between January 2018 and dec 2019. In total, we assessed 45 CR-type TKA procedures in 30 patients with RA who underwent follow-up for at least 4 years. The assessment was based on the Knee Society clinical score (KSS) and an independent radiographic analysis

Results: During a mean follow-up period of 4 years, 2 patients developed late infection and 2 other patients experienced supracondylar fracture after each TKA procedure. After surgery, the KSS improved significantly among the patients and 87% of the patients did not experience any pain. Moreover, the mean postoperative maximum flexion angle was 114.8°, whereas the maximum extension angle was -4.2°.

Conclusion: Despite the necessity for further long-term follow-up investigations, our findings from the medium-term follow-up study suggest that CR-type TKA posed no significant issues, even in patients diagnosed