[Mid-term results of Wallaby I posterior cruciate retaining total knee arthroplasty: a prospective study of the first 425 cases].

PURPOSE OF THE STUDY

Posterior Wallaby I is a fixed polyethylene tibial plateau prosthesis enabling preservation of the posterior cruciate ligament (PCL). Its asymmetrical and divergent femoral condyles articulate with also asymmetrical tibial plateaus. The purpose of this prospective study was to analyze outcome of the first 425 Wallaby I prosthesis of the Guepar group implanted for first-intention treatment.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

These 425 prostheses were implanted from December 1992 to February 1995 by senior and junior surgeons. Mean patient age at implantation was 70.5 years. 91% had primary or secondary osteoarthritis and only 8.9% had inflammatory rheumatoid disease. The mean preoperative IKS score was 25.34 points and the IKS function score was 29.04. 10.35% of knees were aligned normally (mechanical axis between 2 degrees varus and 3 degrees valgus) according to the IKS criteria (Ewald), 24% presented valgus > or = 4 degrees and 65.6% varus > or = 3 degrees. All tibial and patellar components (except one) were cemented, 5.8% of the femoral pieces were inserted without cement. All but 11 patellae were resurfaced. Clinical outcome was assessed with the IKS score and radiological outcome with the IKS criteria. The patella was considered to be tilted when the alpha angle was > 5 degrees and dislocated when the AA' distance was > 5 mm. The chi-square test was used for comparison of quantitative variables (significance set at 0.05).

RESULTS

Early postoperative complications were rare: two infections cured with debridement-lavage and antibiotics without removal of the prosthesis, one peronal nerve palsy which regressed partially, ten late unions without clinical consequence (particularly in the inflammatory rheumatoid patients). Twenty-six prostheses were followed less than one year (eight patients died and eighteen were lost to follow-up) and 84 less than five years (27 patients died and 57 lost to follow-up before five years). 315 prostheses were followed for more than five years (5-9 years) with a mean follow-up of 6.3 years. Among the 399 prostheses followed for one year or more, we noted: four infections including three requiring change of the prosthesis (one cured by arthroscopic lavage), two aseptic loosenings which were revised (one global one tibial), one tibial loosening and three patellar loosenings which were not revised, and two femoral ossifications limiting joint motion but improved by arthrolysis and resection of the ossifications. Three patients experienced anterior pain requiring secondary patellar resurfacing in two and section of the lateral patellar wing in one. Ninteen patellar fractures (4.7%) were noted, including 17 with no significant functional impact which were not revised. The mean IKS knee score among prostheses followed for five years was 90.5 points, with mean motion 110.5 degrees. Mean IKS function score was 61.63 points. 72.9% of the knees were aligned, 22.2% in varus and 4.9% in valgus. The mechanical axis of 94.3% of the knees was between 5 degrees varus and 5 degrees valgus. Prosthesis survival at eight years (Kaplan-Meier method) was 97.7% considering all reasons for prosthesis removal and 98.5% for removal for aseptic loosening.

CONCLUSION

This prospective multicentric study demonstrated that the results obtained with the Wallaby I prosthesis are as good as those obtained with other prostheses sparing the PCL and published in the literature. Preservation of the PCL enables better knee stability, correct motion (110.5 degrees in our series) with almost no radiological wear of the tibial polyethylene at eight years. The only worrisome complication is patellar fracture.