External Fixation vs Intramedullary Nailing for Knee Arthrodesis After Failed Infected Total Knee Arthroplasty: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

Background

The aim of this study is to compare intramedullary nailing with external fixation for knee arthrodesis after failed infected total knee arthroplasty (TKA). Primary outcome is radiographic union. Secondary outcomes include recurrent deep infection, revision arthrodesis, and amputation.

Knee arthrodesis with the Sheffield external ring fixator: fusion in 6 of 10 consecutive patients

Background Knee arthrodesis with external fixation (XF) is a possible salvage procedure for infected total knee arthroplasties (TKA). We report the outcome in 10 patients who underwent arthrodesis with the Sheffield Ring Fixator.

Patients and methods The patients had primary arthrosis in 8 cases; 2 cases were due to rheumatoid arthritis and sclerodermia. The mean time between the primary TKA and arthrodesis was 6 (0.5-14) years. The average age at arthrodesis was 69 years. The average follow-up period was 10 months.

Results Stable fusion was obtained in 6 patients after a mean XF time of 3.6 (2-4) months. 1 patient was referred to another hospital because of nonunion. This patient showed fusion with intramedullary nailing after 7 months. 3 nonunion patients required permanent bracing. 7 patients had pin tract infections. Infections healed in all patients.

Interpretation The Sheffield Ring Fixator gives an acceptable fusion rate for arthrodesis in the infected TKA, with limited complications.     

Knee fusion--a new technique using an old Belgian surgical approach and a new intramedullary nail

Knee arthrodesis is a useful procedure in difficult cases such as failed total knee arthroplasty, severe articular trauma, bone tumors, and infected knee joints. The most common techniques for knee fusion include external fixation and intramedullary nailing. Küntscher's nail is driven antegrade from the intertrochanteric region into the knee. We describe a new technique for knee arthrodesis using a new intramedullary nail and an old Belgian surgical approach to the knee joint published by Lambotte in 1913. This approach provides excellent exposure for the implantation of the nail by osteotomizing the patella vertically. The nail is implanted using HeyGroves method, whereby the nail is inserted retrograde into the femur and pulled distally anterograde into the tibia. We now use this technique as our standard procedure for knee fusion.     

Knee arthrodesis with the Sheffield external ring fixator: Fusion in 6 of 10 consecutive patients

Background?Knee arthrodesis with external fixation (XF) is a possible salvage procedure for infected total knee arthroplasties (TKA). We report the outcome in 10 patients who underwent arthrodesis with the Sheffield Ring Fixator.

Patients and methods?The patients had primary arthrosis in 8 cases; 2 cases were due to rheumatoid arthritis and sclerodermia. The mean time between the primary TKA and arthrodesis was 6 (0.5–14) years. The average age at arthrodesis was 69 years. The average follow-up period was 10 months.

Results?Stable fusion was obtained in 6 patients after a mean XF time of 3.6 (2–4) months. 1 patient was referred to another hospital because of nonunion. This patient showed fusion with intramedullary nailing after 7 months. 3 nonunion patients required permanent bracing. 7 patients had pin tract infections. Infections healed in all patients.

Interpretation?The Sheffield Ring Fixator gives an acceptable fusion rate for arthrodesis in the infected TKA, with limited complications.     

External versus internal fixation for arthrodesis of chronic ankle joint infections — A comparative retrospective study

BackgroundArthrodesis of the ankle is a salvage procedure in case of chronic ankle joint infection. External fixation still is the gold standard.We compared the outcome of external fixator versus intramedullary nailing for arthrodesis of the infected ankle joint.MethodsAll patients with ankle joint infection who received arthrodesis with either external fixator or intramedullary nail between 08/2009 and 09/2017 were retrospectively analyzed. Endpoints were the successful control of infection, osseous fusion, and mobilization with full weightbearing.ResultsSeventy-one patients were included. Nineteen patients (27%) suffered reinfection. Patients with intramedullary nailing showed significantly fewer reinfections (p = 0.019), achieved full weightbearing significantly more often (p = 0.042) and faster and developed significantly fewer complications (p < 0.001). Forty-three patients showed bone fusion without significant differences between the groups.ConclusionsAnkle arthrodesis with intramedullary nailing appears to be a successful alternative to the established procedure of external fixation in cases of chronic ankle joint infection.     

Intramedullary Arthrodesis of the Knee in the Treatment of Sepsis After TKR

Infection is a devastating complication following total knee replacement (TKR). In the majority of cases, single- or two-stage revision has excellent results in eradicating infection and restoring function. Rarely, recurrent infection requires alternative treatments such as resection, amputation, or arthrodesis. A review of infections following TKR treated at two joint replacement centers identified 29 cases of resistant knee sepsis treated with a long intramedullary fusion nail. Clinical outcome and radiographs were reviewed at an average follow-up of 48 months (13–114). After the initial intramedullary arthrodesis union occurred in 24 of 29 patients (83%). The average time to fusion was 6 months (3–18 months). Failures included two cases of nail breakage, one of which subsequently achieved fusion following revision nailing, and three cases of recurrent infection requiring nail removal and permanent resection. At a minimum 2-year follow-up, 28% of the patients that achieved fusion complained of pain in the fused knee, 28% complained of ipsilateral hip pain, and two patients complained of contralateral knee pain. Four of the 25 fused patients (16%) remained nonambulatory after fusion, 17 required walking aids (68%) and only four ambulated unassisted. There was no association between age, number of previous procedures, the use of two-stage versus single stage technique, or infecting organism and failure of arthrodesis. Intramedullary arthrodesis is a viable treatment for refractory infection after TKR. Patients undergoing fusion should be informed of the potential for nonunion, recurrence of infection, pain in the ipsilateral extremity, and the long-term need for walking aids.     

Arthrodesis of the knee: experience with intramedullary nailing

Knee arthrodesis using an intramedullary nail has gained acceptance as treatment in difficult cases such as infection after total knee arthroplasty (TKA), neuropathic joint, and obesity. A retrospective review of 22 cases treated at our institution using an intramedullary nail for knee arthrodesis was performed. Deep infection after primary (11) or revision (6) TKA was the most common indication for this procedure. A long intramedullary nail was used in 3 cases, a long nail with a proximal interlocking screw was used in 6 cases, and a customized nail with a valgus bend and a proximal interlocking screw was used in 11 cases. A modular knee fusion nail was used in 1 case. Successful fusion occurred in all cases, although 4 patients required additional surgery. Average operative blood loss was 748 mL, and average time to union was 7 months. Shortening of the extremity averaged 3.2 cm. Tibiofemoral alignment was improved by using a customized valgus nail (average, 3.1 valgus; range, 1-5) when compared with a straight nail (average, 0.2 valgus; range, 3 varus to 3 valgus). No patient developed infection in the hip or ankle region as a result of the long intramedullary nail. Intramedullary nailing is an excellent technique for knee arthrodesis in difficult cases. A customized proximal interlocking nail with 5 degrees to 7 degrees of valgus and 5 degrees of anterior angulation improves tibiofemoral alignment and is straightforward to insert or extract should it be necessary. Stability and pain relief are rapid, and the fusion rate is maximized.     

Intramedullary fixation for arthrodesis of the knee after infected total knee arthroplasty

Knee arthrodesis with curved intramedullary rods was performed in 12 patients after infected total knee arthroplasty. The underlying pathologic condition was osteoarthritis in nine patients and rheumatoid arthritis in three patients. Nine patients with a postoperative follow-up time of greater than two years (average, 34 months; median, 29 months; longest, 55 months) were evaluated for functional results. Six patients obtained a satisfactory knee fusion in an average of 6.6 months (range, three to 11 months; median, five months). Those patients without massive bone loss preoperatively attained a fusion rate of 66.6%. Two thirds of the patients with massive bone loss attained fusion. Indications for surgery in addition to infection included massive bone loss, mixed infection with multiple organisms, infrapatellar tendon rupture, ligamentous instability, and severe valgus deformity with tibial fracture nonunion. Failure occurred in three cases. One was associated with rod breakage; another was due to massive bone resorption; and the third was in a diabetic female with infrapatellar tendon rupture. All patients with successful arthrodesis reported an absence of pain and the ability to ambulate with, at most, a walker. The use of curved intramedullary rods is a convenient technique for obtaining successful arthrodesis after infected total knee arthroplasty.     

Infected total knee arthroplasty treated with arthrodesis using a modular nail.

Failed treatment of infected total knee replacement presents few attractive surgical options. Knee arthrodesis is challenging surgically and can be complicated by nonunion, malunion, or recurrent infection. Recently, a modular titanium intramedullary nail has been used in an attempt to reduce the incidence of nonunion and the rate of complications. In the present study, a review of the results of knee arthrodesis after infected total knee arthroplasty in 21 patients at three large academic institutions was performed. All patients were followed up for a mean of 2.4 years (range, 2-7.5 years). The mean age of the patients was 64 years. The mean number of previous operations was four (range, 2-9 operations). A solid arthrodesis was achieved without additional surgical treatment in 20 of 21 patients (95%). The mean time to fusion was 6.3 months. The one patient who suffered a nonunion achieved fusion after a subsequent bone grafting procedure. Based on the present study, intramedullary arthrodesis with a coupled titanium nail, is a reliable, effective method of achieving fusion after infection of a total knee arthroplasty. This procedure resulted in a high rate of fusion and a lower rate of complications when compared with traditional methods of arthrodesis.     

Use of an intramedullary rod in knee arthrodesis following failed total knee arthroplasty

A retrospective review was conducted of 20 consecutive patients (10 men and 10 women) with failed total knee arthroplasty (TKA) who underwent arthrodesis using an intramedullary rod. Average patient age was 70.5 years. One patient was lost to follow-up, and the remaining 19 patients were evaluated an average of 4.5 years postoperatively (range: 1-24 years). Three patients without infections achieved a solid arthrodesis without complications. In 16 patients, the indication for fusion was an infection, and 12 of these patients had an uncomplicated postoperative course and achieved a solid arthrodesis. Of the remaining 4 patients, 1 required revision for a nonunion, 1 a skin graft, and 2 had recurrence of their infections in the postoperative period. Both patients had positive cultures at attempted arthrodesis. One patient underwent debridement at 3 months, and a solid fusion was obtained. The other patient required rod removal and currently has a nonunion, uses a brace, and is on suppressive antibiotic treatment. An intramedullary rod is the ideal fixation choice for knee arthrodesis in patients with a failed, noninfected TKA; however, in patients with an infection, the infection must be eradicated prior to rod use.     

Knee arthrodesis

Arthrodesis is one of the last options available to obtain a stable, painless knee in a patient with a damaged knee joint that is not amenable to reconstructive measures. Common indications for knee arthrodesis include failed total knee arthroplasty, periarticular tumor, posttraumatic arthritis, and chronic sepsis. The primary contraindications to knee fusion are bilateral involvement or an ipsilateral hip arthrodesis. A variety of techniques has been described, including external fixation, internal fixation by compression plates, intramedullary fixation through the knee with a modular nail, and antegrade nailing through the piriformis fossa. Allograft or autograft may be necessary to restore lost bone stock or to augment fusion. For the carefully selected patient with realistic expectations, knee arthrodesis may relieve pain and obviate the need for additional surgery or extensive postoperative rehabilitation.     

Arthrodesis for failed knee arthroplasty. A report of 20 cases

Twenty consecutive patients treated by arthrodesis for failed knee arthroplasty are reviewed. Eight hinged, five stabilised and seven compartmental prostheses were removed, for infection (15 cases), loosening (4) and instability (1). One patient refused a second-stage operation but the remainder gained sound fusion. Infected knees had a two-stage procedure with temporary insertion of gentamicin-loaded beads after removal of the prosthesis; all infections healed. Six arthrodeses using a Hoffmann-Vidal external fixator resulted in two temporary failures. One Ace-Fischer external fixation was successful. Of 10 primary attempts at arthrodesis with an intramedullary Küntscher nail, nine were successful; the tenth fused after two more attempts by the same method. The two failures of external fixation and two failures after Charnley single-frame compression done elsewhere were successfully fused with intramedullary nails. Delayed union in three cases fused after prolonged fixation and repeated bone grafts. The indications for and methods of arthrodesis after failed knee arthroplasty are discussed.     

Conversion of external fixation to intramedullary nailing for fractures of the shaft of the femur in multiply injured patients

BACKGROUND: From 1989 to 1997, 1507 fractures of the shaft of the femur were treated with intramedullary nailing at The R Adams Cowley Shock Trauma Center. Fifty-nine (4 percent) of those fractures were treated with early external fixation followed by planned conversion to intramedullary nail fixation. This two-stage stabilization protocol was selected for patients who were critically ill and poor candidates for an immediate intramedullary procedure or who required expedient femoral fixation followed by repair of an ipsilateral vascular injury. The purpose of the current investigation was to determine whether this protocol is an appropriate alternative for the management of fractures of the femur in patients who are poor candidates for immediate intramedullary nailing. METHODS: Fifty-four multiply injured patients with a total of fifty-nine fractures of the shaft of the femur treated with external fixation followed by planned conversion to intramedullary nail fixation were evaluated in a retrospective review to gather demographic, injury, management, and fracture-healing data for analysis. RESULTS: The average Injury Severity Score for the fifty-four patients was 29 (range, 13 to 43); the average Glasgow Coma Scale score was 11 (range, 3 to 15). Most patients (forty-four) had additional orthopaedic injuries (average, three; range, zero to eight), and associated injuries such as severe brain injury, solid-organ rupture, chest trauma, and aortic tears were common. Forty fractures were closed, and nineteen fractures were open. According to the system of Gustilo and Anderson, three of the open fractures were type II, eight were type IIIA, and eight were type IIIC. Intramedullary nailing was delayed secondary to medical instability in forty-six patients and secondary to vascular injury in eight. All fractures of the shaft of the femur were stabilized with a unilateral external fixator within the first twenty-four hours after the injury; the average duration of the procedure was thirty minutes. The duration of external fixation averaged seven days (range, one to forty-nine days) before the fixation with the static interlocked intramedullary nail. Forty-nine of the nailing procedures were antegrade, and ten were retrograde. For fifty-five of the fifty-nine fractures, the external fixation was converted to intramedullary nail fixation in a one-stage procedure. The other four fractures were associated with draining pin sites, and skeletal traction to allow pin-site healing was used for an average of ten days (range, eight to fifteen days) after fixator removal and before intramedullary nailing. Follow-up averaged twelve months (range, six to eighty-seven months). Of the fifty-eight fractures available for follow-up until union, fifty-six (97 percent) healed within six months. There were three major complications: one patient died from a pulmonary embolism before union, one patient had a refractory infected nonunion, and one patient had a nonunion with nail failure, which was successfully treated with retrograde exchange nailing. The infection rate was 1.7 percent. Four other patients required a minor reoperation: two were managed with manipulation under anesthesia because of knee stiffness, and two underwent derotation and relocking of the nail because of rotational malalignment. The rate of unplanned reoperations was 11 percent. The average range of motion of the knee was 107 degrees (range, 60 to 140 degrees). CONCLUSIONS: We concluded that immediate external fixation followed by early closed intramedullary nailing is a safe treatment method for fractures of the shaft of the femur in selected multiply injured patients.     

Intramedullary nailing following external fixation in femoral and tibial shaft fractures

BACKGROUND: Intramedullary nailing is the standard of care for the definitive management of lower extremity long bone fractures. Occasionally, temporary external fixation is used in fractures with severe open wounds or vascular injury before definitive intramedullary nailing. Secondary intramedullary nailing following external fixation is somewhat controversial, especially with respect to the duration of external fixation that is allowable before the risk of infection following later nailing becomes too great. Several recent studies have provided further insight into this issue. OBJECTIVE: The primary objective is to evaluate infection and nonunion rates in patients treated with temporary external fixation and secondary intramedullary nailing for lower extremity long bone fractures. The secondary objective is to evaluate whether the duration of external fixation and the interval time (defined as the time from external fixator removal to intramedullary nailing) influence the risk of infection after intramedullary nailing.     

交锁髓内钉治疗股骨干骨折术后感染和骨吸收的处理

目的 探讨交锁髓内钉治疗股骨干骨折术后感染及骨吸收的治疗方法。方法股骨十骨折交锁髓内钉固定术后感染及骨吸收13例,术后感染平均14．5个月。第一期拔除髓内钉、彻底清创、外同定支架固定,第二期植骨、抗感染;术后膝关节功能锻炼。结果随访平均4．2年。1年后骨折和感染均治愈,随访期内均无复发。结论合理的二期手术,是治疗交锁髓内钉固定股骨干骨折术后感染及骨吸收的可行方法。     

小切口交锁髓内钉治疗浮膝损伤

目的 探讨小切口上下交锁髓内钉治疗浮动膝关节损伤方法。方法 对我科在2000年1月～2005年12月通过同一小切口上下交锁髓内钉治疗浮动膝关节损伤14例进行回顾性分析。结果 平随诊18月．无主钉弯曲,断裂和锁钉断裂现象,无感染,膝关节活动良好。结论 同一小切口上下交锁髓内钉治疗浮动膝关节损伤,具有创伤小,固定确切,感染率低,骨折愈合率高,膝关节功能良好。     

Kniearthrodesen

When arthrodesis of the knee is indicated, the operative procedure selected for fixation depends on the condition of the soft tissues, the bone stock, whether infection is present, and the age of the patient and his or her capacity for partial weight-bearing. In young patients with no infection or soft tissue problems, when adequate bone stock is present compression plating or the use of an intramedullary nail is possible and allows stable fixation. Soft tissue problems with defect(s) or infection are a good indication for the use of an external fixator. The most common indication for knee arthrodesis is a failed total knee prosthesis that has become infected. Deficient bone stock with osteopenic bone or a defect after failed total knee arthroplasty are problems that can be solved by the use of modular fusion nail systems, especially in older patients. These systems are more comfortable for the patient than external fixation devices and allow early full weight-bearing.     

Knee dislocation with ipsilateral femoral shaft fracture: a report of five cases

We report the management and outcome of 4 patients with 5 knee dislocations associated with ipsilateral femoral shaft fractures. All patients were managed by immediate reduction of the knee dislocation, intramedullary nailing of the femur, and angiography, followed by postoperative immobilization of the knee (brace or external fixation) for a minimum of 6 weeks. Four of the 5 dislocations underwent a secondary ligament reconstruction. At the 2-year follow up, the mean Knee Society Score was 133 (range 99-170).     

交锁髓内钉与外支架治疗严重胫骨开放性骨折的疗效分析

目的:评价交锁髓内钉与外支架治疗严重胫骨开放性骨折的临床疗效。方法:严重胫骨开放性骨折患者39例,采用单侧外固定支架固定19例,男13例,女6例;年龄19⁷2岁,平均39岁;稳定性骨折7例,不稳定性骨折12例;合并其他部位骨折7例,颅脑损伤1例,腹部损伤2例。采用交锁髓内钉固定20例,男14例,女6例;年龄22⁷0岁,平均42岁;稳定性骨折8例,不稳定性骨折12例;合并其他部位骨折8例,颅脑伤2例,腹部伤1例。两组最初的伤口清创、软组织缺损的皮瓣移植修复是相同的。结果:随访时间平均为20个月（18³5个月）,交锁髓内钉组骨折愈合时间（6·0±2·6）个月,外支架组骨折愈合时间为（7·0±2·5）个月。交锁髓内钉组膝关节的活动范围为115°±10°,踝关节为30°±5°,外支架组膝关节的活动范围为110°±5°,踝关节为27°±4°,髓内钉组功能恢复较好,成角畸形小。外支架组1例深部感染,4例钉道感染,髓内钉组1例深部感染。按功能评定标准,髓内钉组中优8例,良7例,中2例,差3例;外支架组中优4例,良5例,中3例,差7例。两组差异具有统计学意义（P<0·05）。比较骨折愈合时间、部分负重时间、踝膝关节的活动范围,两组之间无显著性差异。结论:在彻底清创,并且具备即刻或早期皮瓣修复的技术条件下,交锁髓内钉是治疗严重胫骨开放性骨折的理想选择。     

交锁髓内钉与外支架治疗严重胫骨开放性骨折的疗效分析

目的:评价交锁髓内钉与外支架治疗严重胫骨开放性骨折的临床疗效。方法:严重胫骨开放性骨折患者39例,采用单侧外固定支架固定19例,男13例,女6例;年龄19~72岁,平均39岁;稳定性骨折7例,不稳定性骨折12例;合并其他部位骨折7例,颅脑损伤1例,腹部损伤2例。采用交锁髓内钉固定20例,男14例,女6例;年龄22~70岁,平均42岁;稳定性骨折8例,不稳定性骨折12例;合并其他部位骨折8例,颅脑伤2例,腹部伤1例。两组最初的伤口清创、软组织缺损的皮瓣移植修复是相同的。结果:随访时间平均为20个月(18~35个月),交锁髓内钉组骨折愈合时间(6·0±2·6)个月,外支架组骨折愈合时间为(7·0±2·5)个月。交锁髓内钉组膝关节的活动范围为115°±10°,踝关节为30°±5°,外支架组膝关节的活动范围为110°±5°,踝关节为27°±4°,髓内钉组功能恢复较好,成角畸形小。外支架组1例深部感染,4例钉道感染,髓内钉组1例深部感染。按功能评定标准,髓内钉组中优8例,良7例,中2例,差3例;外支架组中优4例,良5例,中3例,差7例。两组差异具有统计学意义(P<0·05)。比较骨折愈合时间、部分负重时间、踝膝关节的活动范围,两组之间无显著性差异。结论:在彻底清创,并且具备即刻或早期皮瓣修复的技术条件下,交锁髓内钉是治疗严重胫骨开放性骨折的理想选择。