[Mixed knee arthrodesis a rescue alternative in knee periprosthetic joint infection].

BACKGROUND: Knee arthrodesis is a rescue procedure for patients with knee periprosthetic joint infection who are not candidates for a revision surgery. The actual methods present a high complication rate with only moderate efectivity.

METHODS: We retrospectively analyzed 17 cases, of patients with knee periprosthetic joint infection and bone loss treated by intramedular expandable nail and monoplanar external fixator with a mínimum evolution of 1 year, evaluating the medical records and digitalized X-rays by 2 sub specialized doctors in osteoarticular rescue surgery.

RESULTS: From the 17 patients, 88.2% were classified as Anderson Orthopaedic Research Institute classification grade (III) and the 11.2% IIB. We obtained fusion in 82.5%, staged Hammer (I-II) in a mean time of 6.33 months. Achieving independent gait was reported in 88.2%. Our complication rate was 47.1%, most of them minor complications except for a supracondylar amputation. Our infection recurrence rate was 35.4%. Mean intervention rate was 2.47 surgeries, all without any operative room complication.

CONCLUSIONS: We achieved a fusion rate similar to other available knee arthrodesis methods in a similar treatment time; with lower complication rate, making it a suitable rescue alternative for knee arthrodesis in patients with significant bone loss and knee periprosthetic joint infection.