High Rate of Re-Revision in Patients Less Than 55 Years of Age Undergoing Aseptic Revision Total Knee Arthroplasty.

BACKGROUND

There are limited data on the outcomes of revision total knee arthroplasty in young patients. We sought to characterize the re-revision-free survival and risk factors for re-revision in patients less than 55 years who underwent aseptic revision TKA.

METHODS

We retrospectively reviewed 197 revision TKAs at a mean follow-up of 5 years. Mean age was 49 years; mean body mass index was 31 kg/m2. Twenty-seven (14%) patients had at least 1 prior revision TKA. The most common indications for revision included instability (29%), arthrofibrosis (26%), and aseptic loosening (24%). Constraint included the following: 59 posterior-stabilized (30%), 123 varus-valgus constrained (62%), and 15 hinged (8%). Components revised included the following: 93 femur/tibia (47%), 68 polyethylene-only (35%), 19 femur-only (10%), and 17 other (9%). Survivorship free from re-revision was calculated via the Kaplan-Meier method and a multivariate Cox proportional regression was utilized to identify risk factors for re-revision.

RESULTS

Survivorship free from any re-revision at 5 years was 80%. In the multivariate analysis, patients with a prior revision (hazard ratio [HR] = 2.78, P = .02), an isolated polyethylene exchange (HR = 3.0, P = .004), and a hinged prosthesis (HR = 3.47, P = .05) were significant risk factors for lower revision-free survival. Forty-two patients (21%) underwent re-revision, most commonly for periprosthetic joint infection (7%), instability (6%), and aseptic loosening (5%). Re-revision occurred in 18/68 (26%) patients undergoing an isolated polyethylene exchange.

CONCLUSION

Patients less than 55 years undergoing revision TKA have a modest 5-year revision-free survival of 80%. Patients with prior revision TKAs (HR = 2.78), hinge type prostheses (HR = 3.47), and polyethylene-only revisions (HR = 3.0) had higher revision rates.