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The natural history of a newly developed flexion contracture following primary total knee arthroplasty

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Abstract

Purpose

We investigated the incidence, natural history, and functional consequences of a newly developed flexion contracture after total knee arthroplasty (TKA).

Methods

Forty patients with full knee extension preoperatively who developed a postoperative flexion contracture were match-paired 1:2 with 80 patients who had full extension. The incidence of a newly developed flexion contracture, ROM, and Knee Society scores (KSS) at six weeks, four months, and one year were analysed.

Results

The incidence of a new flexion contracture at six weeks was 14 %, but diminished to 5 % and 0.3 % at four months and one year, respectively. One year after surgery, there was no difference in the KSS (p = 0.5).

Conclusions

This study showed that the majority of patients who developed a new flexion contracture after TKA have full knee extension one year postoperatively. Moreover, knee extension and KSS at one year are equivalent to those patients who did not developed a flexion contracture.

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Funding source

This study was partially funded by the generous donation of Mr. Glenn Bergenfield and the Simon Foundation.

Conflict of interest

The authors declare that they have no conflict of interest.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Hospital for Special Surgery, Weill Cornell Medical College of Cornell University, New York, NY, USA

    Matthew P. Abdel, Yuo-yu Lee, Stephen Lyman & Alejandro González Della Valle

  2. Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Hospital Naval “Pedro Mallo”, Buenos Aires, Argentina

    Andres Anania

  3. Department of Orthopaedic Surgery at the Hospital for Special Surgery, Weill Medical College of Cornell University, 535 East 70th Street, New York, NY, 10021, USA

    Matthew P. Abdel & Alejandro González Della Valle

  4. Department of Biostatistics, Hospital for Special Surgery, New York, NY, USA

    Yuo-yu Lee & Stephen Lyman

Authors
  1. Andres Anania
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  2. Matthew P. Abdel
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  3. Yuo-yu Lee
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  5. Alejandro González Della Valle
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Correspondence to Alejandro González Della Valle.

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Anania, A., Abdel, M.P., Lee, Yy. et al. The natural history of a newly developed flexion contracture following primary total knee arthroplasty. International Orthopaedics (SICOT) 37, 1917–1923 (2013). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00264-013-1993-3

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00264-013-1993-3

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