Complications of Variable Axis total knee arthroplasty.

Three hundred seventy-six patients were treated by a Variable Axis total knee arthroplasty between 1974 and 1980 and were reviewed for mechanical and orthopedic complications of their surgery. Sixty-five patients had significant complications. Twenty-eight (7.4%) patients developed significant problems with their patellae, 13 (3.4%) patients required reoperation for patellar realignment, and four (1.0%) patients had a patellar resurfacing for retropatellar pain. Two (0.5%) cases of aseptic loosening of the femoral component required revision surgery. There was no aseptic loosening of the tibial component. Other complications included a ligamentous instability (2.9%), postoperative joint stiffness (1.6%), peroneal nerve palsy (1.3%), supracondylar fractures (1.0%), and postoperative joint infection (1.8%).