To clinically and radiologically assess cemented total knee arthroplasty.

Among the patients with rheumatoid arthritis or degenerative arthritis treated at the Department of Orthopaedic Surgery of Pusan National University Hospital by cemented total knee arthroplasty between January 1990 and October 1992, 21 patients (22 knees) were followed up for more than 5 years. The Knee Rating Scale of Hospital for Special Surgery was used for the clinical assessment and the American Knee Society Roentgenographic Evaluation and Scoring System was adopted for the radiological assessment.

The average preoperative knee rating score was 46.4 and improved to 83.2 at the latest follow up. The average range of motion was 88 preoperatively and 120 at the latest follow up in rheumatoid arthritis. In degenerative arthritis, it was 104 preoperatively and 115 at the latest follow up. Four of 22 knees had radiolucent lines at the bone-cement interface, but most of them were nonprogressive and clinically insignificant. In conclusion, cemented TKA can be indicated for the painful arthritic knees in old patients. Rheumatoid arthritis showed better improvement in HSS knee score and ROM than degenerative arthritis. But, similar results were shown in the radiological assessment of rheumatoid arthritis and degenerative arthritis.

Even though cemented TKA for the painful arthritic knee has shown good results, long-term follow up studies will be required to determine both the long-term clinical results as well as the radiological results.