Osteolysis in Well-functioning Fixed- and Mobile-bearing TKAs in Younger Patients

Background Periprosthetic osteolysis is an increasingly prevalent complication of TKA. To reduce the polyethylene wear and periprosthetic osteolysis, particularly in young patients, the design of the contemporary fixed-bearing TKAs has been modified and mobile-bearing TKAs have been introduced.

Questions/purposes We asked whether the prevalence of osteolysis would be less in well-functioning mobile-bearing TKAs than in well-functioning contemporary fixed-bearing TKAs in young patients.

Patients and Methods We compared 488 patients (894 knees) who received fixed-bearing knee prostheses with 445 patients (816 knees) who received mobile-bearing knee prostheses. There were 187 men and 301 women (mean age, 58.6 years; range, 33-65 years) in the fixed-bearing group and 167 men and 278 women (mean age, 55.7 years; range, 33-65 years) in the mobile-bearing group. The mean followup was 12.6 years (range, 10-17 years) in the fixed-bearing group and 12.9 years (range, 10-17 years) in the mobile-bearing group.

Results The incidence of osteolysis was 1.6% (14 of 894 knees) in the fixed-bearing group and 2.2% (18 of 816 knees) in the mobile-bearing group at the final review. The mean postoperative Knee Society knee and function scores were 92.9 points and 83.5 points, respectively, in the fixed-bearing group and 90.7 points and 83.8 points, respectively, in the mobile-bearing group. The revision rates were 3.7% (33 of 894 knees) in the fixed-bearing group and 2.7% (22 of 816 knees) in the mobile-bearing group.

Conclusions We found the incidence of osteolysis, rate of revision, and implant survivorship were similar between fixed-bearing and mobile-bearing TKAs in younger patients.

Level of Evidence Level III, therapeutic study. See the guidelines for authors for a complete description of levels of evidence.