Liner exchange in total knee arthroplasty.

Exchange of the tibial liner in revision knee arthroplasty for wear and other indications is controversial. The purpose of the study was to determine the clinical success and reoperation rate for liner exchange performed for four groups of patients. Thirty-nine revisions were identified in which modular liner exchange was performed: polyethylene wear (12 knees), acute infection (11 knees), instability (4 knees), and a variety of other diagnoses (12 knees). The knees were evaluated using the systems of the Knee Society. The mean follow-up time was 4.3 years. Liner exchange for wear was successful in all 12 patients: for acute infection, in 9 of 11 patients; for instability, in 3 of 4 patients; for other diagnoses, in 10 of 12 patients. There were significant improvements in the pain score in all four groups and significant improvement in the function score in the infection and other diagnoses groups. With the use of six criteria, these observations suggest that liner exchange for wear is successful.