Ritter M A, Eizember L E, Keating E M, Faris P M
Center for Hip and Knee Surgery, Mooresville, Indiana 46158.
Clin Orthop Relat Res. 1991 Jun(267):108-14.
The results of total knee arthroplasty in patients with osteonecrosis of the medial femoral condyle were examined using Kaplan-Meier survival analysis. The study included 32 osteonecrotic knees with an average final follow-up examination of 3.9 years. For comparison, 63 osteoarthrotic knees with an average final follow-up examination of 4.6 years were also analyzed. The survival rates were calculated using four distinct categories of failure: (1) revision, (2) revision or radiolucency, (3) revision, radiolucency, or pain, and (4) pain. On the basis of pain relief alone, the five-year postoperative success rate was 82% for osteonecrosis (eight knees) and 90% for osteoarthrosis (27 knees), with no significant statistical difference between the two groups.