Abstract

Implant selection for the severely damaged knee being treated by revision is difficult. Fixed or rotating hinges have provided mixed results with a high frequency of complication. An alternative to a hinge implant is the total condylar III prosthesis, which can substitute for a deficient collateral ligament. Between August 1980 and April 1987 total condylar III prostheses were used for revision of failed total knee arthroplasties (TKA) of 21 knees in 19 patients. In the same time interval, 649 TKA revisions were performed for a frequency of 3.2% using this prosthesis. The indications for using this prosthesis were bone loss in 10 knees, instability in 9 knees, supracondylar femur fracture in 1 knee, and implant malposition in one knee. At a 4-year follow-up evaluation the knee scores were excellent in 25%, good in 25%, fair in 25%, and poor in 25%. Complications occurred in 33% of the knees. The total condylar III prosthesis provided results similar to other constrained implants used for revision in patients with severe bone loss and ligamentous instability.