Early Results of Mini-incision vs Conventional Total Knee Arthroplasties

ABSTRACT

PURPOSE: To compare the radiographic and early clinical results of mini-incision total knee arthroplasty(TKA) with those of conventional TKA. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A prospective study was made for 40 primary TKAs(20 mini-incision TKAs; group I and 20 conventional TKAs; group II) done by one surgeon between Dec. 2005 and Feb. 2006, followed up more than 1 year. There were no significant differences between the two groups in all the preoperative evaluations, including age, sex, body mass index, range of knee motion, knee society score(KSS) and radiographic alignments. Postoperative evaluations included length of skin incision, operative time, blood loss, immediate postoperative course, range of knee motion, KSS and radiographic results. RESULTS: Except for the shorter skin incision in mini-incision TKAs(group I), no significant difference was noted between the two groups in all the postoperative evaluations. There were no significant complications in both groups. CONCLUSION: Mini-incision TKA had the advantage of a shorter skin incision and could give us the similar early clinical and radiographic results as conventional TKA.