Released 10 October 2008

Total knee replacement 'has good results'

Total knee replacement has good mid-term results for patients with ankylosed knees, according to new research published in the Journal of Bone and Joint Surgery.

Researchers from the Joint Replacement Centre of Korea studied 82 patients with knees affected by ankylosis, which is stiffening or fusion of a joint.

The participants, whose mean age was 49 years, underwent total knee replacement with a condylar constrained or a posterior stabilised prosthesis.

After a mean follow-up period of nine years, the findings revealed there were significant improvements in physical, emotional and social scores.

These scores were calculated using pre- and post-surgery data from the Hospital for Special Surgery (HSS), the Knee Society (KS) and the Western Ontario and McMaster University Osteoarthritis index (WOMAC).

Research funded by the Arthritis Research Campaign aims to find out more about what factors are taken into account by surgeons in deciding to carry out joint replacements and how these decisions affect patients' experiences of hip and knee surgery.
ADNFCR-1096-ID-18821518-ADNFCR

Recent related stories:

MRI 'assesses bone erosion effectively'
04 December 2008
 Young alcoholic men 'have increased osteoporosis risk'
03 December 2008
 New osteoporosis screening method trialled
03 December 2008
 Prednisolone 'maintains bone density in rheumatoid arthritis patients' hips'
02 December 2008
 Rheumatoid patients 'have increased risk of death caused by heart disease'
02 December 2008
 Rituximab re-treatment 'not effective for rheumatoid arthritis patients'
02 December 2008
 Hip, knee replacement 'increases risk of joint infections in rheumatoid arthritis patients'
02 December 2008