A 5-9-year follow-up study of the Sheehan total knee arthroplasty.

Of 83 Sheehan total knee arthroplasties evaluated 5-9 years after surgery, 14 had been revised for mechanical failure and 9 for late sepsis, leaving 60 cases for clinical and radiologic evaluation. Fifty-seven percent of the patients achieved satisfactory pain relief, but only 15% were satisfied with their knees. There was loss of alignment in 48% of cases. Most patients exhibited some degree of varus/valgus instability. These complications are attributed to polyethylene wear, a major problem in this series. Sixty percent of the patients had anterior knee pain and 48% had radiologic evidence of patellar dysfunction. The overall poor results and the high rate of revision have persuaded the authors to abandon this procedure.