Total Knee Arthroplasty for Charcot Knees: Two Cases Followed Up for More than 10 Years

Summary

We report two patients with Charcot knees, caused by tabes dorsalis, who showed satisfactory postoperative results for more than 10 years after kinematic rotating-hinge total knee arthroplasty. Surface-replacing total knee arthroplasty in a Charcot knee with massive tibial defect or inadequate ligamentous balancing may leave knee instability after surgery, possibly causing prosthetic loosening during the early postoperative period. It is particularly difficult to treat a Charcot knee if knee instability, especially genu recurvatum, is present before operation. Thus, we performed kinematic rotating-hinge total knee arthroplasty on Charcot knees with severe genu recurvatum, and very satisfactory clinical results were obtained for more than 10 years although we had been concerned about a possibility of stem breakage. Total knee arthroplasty can be recommended for Charcot knees as a choice of surgical procedures.