Abstract:

BACKGROUND: With the investigation and development of knee joint disease, total knee arthroplasty has increasingly become the optimal strategy of treating severe knee arthritis in middle-aged and elderly patients.
OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the clinical effect of total knee arthroplasty for treatment of knee arthritis in middle-aged and elderly patients.
METHODS: From January 2000 to July 2008, 126 patients with arthritis were treated in Department of Orthopedic Surgery, Xiangyang People’s Hospital, including 74 males and 52 females, aged 63.9 years (51-83 years), 92 cases of severe osteoarthritis, 19 of traumatic arthritis, and 15 of rheumatoid arthritis. All patients underwent total knee arthroplasty, and the effect was evaluated using HSS scores. The complications were also observed.
RESULTS AND CONCLUSION: All patients were followed up from 1 year to 7 years. Among 126 patients, excellent  results  were achieved in 118 knees (77%), good in 30 knees (20%), fair in 5 knees (3%), with an excellent and good rate of 97%. The artificial knee joint could meet the daily requirements and patient quality of life was significantly improved. In addition, 5 cases developed deep venous thrombosis and cured by treatment; 9 cases had knee joint pain within 3 months post-surgery, with no swelling but normal range of motion, and relieved by femoral nerve blocking and medication. Results showed that total knee arthroplasty obtained good clinical outcomes in treating knee arthritis in middle-aged and elderly patients.