ABSTRACT
Purpose of the study. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the result of treatment of the infected total knee arthroplasty by two-stage revision. Material. Out of twenty eight total knee arthroplasty revisions, 13 revisions were performed for infected total knee arthroplasties between 1985 and l.996. Two cases of infected total knee arthroplasties were treated by immediate replacement and four cases by arthrodesis. Seven infected total knee arthroplasties had been revised by two-stage revision and followed-up for 38.6 months in average (range, 18-105 months). They were one male and six female patients of 61.6 years old in average. The primary cause of arthroplasty was osteoarthritis in all. Infection was diagnosed by preoperative aspiration, culture of the pus from draining sinus and culture of surgical specimen. Five cases revealed positive growth of causative bacteria, while two were not identified. METHOD: The protocol for two-stage revision began with tbe removal of infected implants and cement. The surrounding bony and soft tissue were thoroughly debrided and cleaned. The dead space between femur and tibia was filled with antibiotics-impregnated cement spacer and beads. Wound was closed and the leg was placed in soft knee brace. Patients received intravenous antibiotic therapy based on culture results for 4-6 weeks. Reimplantation was followed using total condylar prosthesis of posterior stabilizing type in five and semiconstrained type in two cases. RESULT: Two-stage revision was successful in six cases. One case revealed the recurrence of infection eleven months after reimplantation and underwent the repetition of the same two-stage procedure. At the final follow-up, the average Hospital for Special Surgery score was 81.l points, the average Knee Society knee score was 78.6 points and the average functional score was 76.7 points. Patients could regain average 100 degrees of knee flexion. CONCLUSION: The result of two-stage revision for infected total knee arthroplasty was satisfactory, showing that this can be the method of choice for infection treatment and functional restoration. This procedure using antibiotics-impregnated cement spacer and beads can control infection and improve functional results.