Total Knee Arthroplasty in Diabetic Patients

ABSTRACT

PURPOSE: We investigated clinical and radiologic results and complications on diabetic patients with degenerative arthritis treated by total knee arthroplasty. MATERIALS AND METHODS: From March 1995 to July 2002, 56 diabetic patients among 594 TKR patients was ananlysed. Compared group was 124 patients of no medical disease. There were 52 women and 4 men, with mean age of 65.3 years (49.6~78.2) at operation. Insulin-dependent (type I) was 8 cases and noninsulin-dependent (type II) was 48 cases. We compared preoperative and postoperative knee function score, HSS score, radiologic results and complications. Mean follow up period of 38 months (21~108 months). RESULTS: HSS score improved preoperative mean 42 points to 86 postoperative and clinical knee function score estimated significant improvement (p<0.05) that 44 preop. to 82 postop. in DM TKR patients. There were 3 cases of infection (5.3%) including superficial wound infection 2 cases, deep joint infection 1 case. Deep vein thrombosis occured 2 cases (3.6%), wound problem 3 cases (5.3%), urinary infection 1 case (1.8%), cardiopulmonary complication 1 case (1.8%) and also high infection rate including wound problem (p<0.05). CONCLUSION: Total knee arthroplasty improves knee function and pain relieve in diabetic patients. But owing to high postoperative risk of infection and complication, meticulous hemostasis and careful wound closure is mandatory.