Surgical Techniques
Removing a well-fixed femoral sleeve during revision total knee arthroplasty
The following surgical technique describes a case of a 51-year-old man with severe juvenile rheumatoid arthritis that required a 2-stage revision of an infected revision total knee implant. The patient had previously been implanted with a revision rotating platform, constrained condylar device which gained excellent fixation through the use of diaphyseal-engaging stems, and a well-ingrown, fully porous-coated femoral metaphyseal sleeve. To avoid intraoperative complications while removing the femoral sleeve, a novel technique for femoral sleeve extraction was used.Medial tibial “spackling” to lessen chronic medial tibial soft tissue irritation
We describe a unique, utilitarian reconstructive treatment option known as tibial “spackling” for chronic, localized medial joint line pain corresponding with progressive radiographic peripheral medial tibial bone loss beneath a well-fixed revision total knee arthroplasty tibial baseplate. It is believed that this localized pain is due to chronic irritation of the medial capsule and collateral ligament from the prominent medial edge of the tibial component. In the setting of failed nonoperative treatment, our experience with utilizing bone cement to reconstruct the medial tibial bone defect and create a smooth medial tibial surface has been successful in eliminating chronic medial soft tissue irritation.
