Prospective results of uncemented tantalum monoblock tibia in total knee arthroplasty: minimum 5-year follow-up in patients younger than 55 years

• Published in: The Journal of arthroplasty Vol. 26; no. 8; pp. 1390 - 1395
• Main Authors: Kamath, Atul F, Lee, Gwo-Chin, Sheth, Neil P, Nelson, Charles L, Garino, Jonathan P, Israelite, Craig L
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: United States 01-12-2011
• Subjects: Adult; Age Factors; Aged; Aged, 80 and over; Arthralgia - epidemiology; Arthroplasty, Replacement, Knee - instrumentation; Arthroplasty, Replacement, Knee - methods; Bone Cements; Cohort Studies; Follow-Up Studies; Humans; Incidence; Knee Joint - diagnostic imaging; Knee Joint - physiology; Knee Joint - surgery; Knee Prosthesis; Middle Aged; Prospective Studies; Prosthesis Design; Prosthesis Failure; Radiography; Range of Motion, Articular - physiology; Retrospective Studies; Tantalum; Treatment Outcome
• ISSN: 1532-8406
• DOI: 10.1016/j.arth.2011.06.030

A significant increase in younger patients undergoing total knee arthroplasty raises the theoretical concern for revision secondary to micromotion and fixation failure with cemented components. We prospectively studied 100 consecutive tantalum monoblock uncemented tibial components and 312 concurrent cemented controls. Patients younger than 55 years with adequate bone stock were enrolled. This cementless patient group was younger and had higher preoperative functional status. Prostheses were posterior-substituting uncemented femoral and tibial components with a cemented patellar button. Knee Society pain and function scores and radiographs were obtained, and a cost analysis was performed. Knee Society scores were excellent and equivalent beyond 6 months. There was no significant difference in perioperative blood loss, complication rates, or cost. There was a significant decrease in operative time in the uncemented group. Radiographs revealed no failures of ingrowth at last follow-up. There were 3 uncemented group failures, but none were due to failure of fixation. The use of a porous tantalum tibia at minimum 5 years has yielded promising clinical and radiographic results in a younger patient population.