We have carried out a retrospective study of 12
patients (13 knees) treated between 1975 and 2001 after failed
total knee arthroplasty (TKA), by means of revision surgery
using bone allograft. The mean age was of 62 years. The primary
indication was degenerative osteoarthritis in 8 cases (9
knees), postraumatic osteoarthritis in 1 case and rheumatoid
arthritis in 2 cases. The bony defects were classified according
to the Anderson’s Orthopedic Institute classification.
Fragmented allograft was used in 11 cases and structural
allograft in 2. The mean follow-up time was of 69 months.
Outcome was evaluated through functional and clinical
result. For the clinical evaluation the scale of the Knee
Society was used; the radiographic evaluation assessed the
degree of integration of the graft. The 2 cases of rheumatoid
arthritis presented deep infection of the TKA that required an
arthrodesis for definitive solution. The rest of patients showed
satisfactory results with good integration of the bone graft.
The use of fragmented and structural allograft in revision surgery
of failed TKA solves in a satisfactory way the presence
of bony defects, although in patients with some degree of
inmunosupression the high risk of deep infection forces to
extreme the cautions.

We have carried out a retrospective study of 12
patients (13 knees) treated between 1975 and 2001 after failed
total knee arthroplasty (TKA), by means of revision surgery
using bone allograft. The mean age was of 62 years. The primary
indication was degenerative osteoarthritis in 8 cases (9
knees), postraumatic osteoarthritis in 1 case and rheumatoid
arthritis in 2 cases. The bony defects were classified according
to the Anderson’s Orthopedic Institute classification.
Fragmented allograft was used in 11 cases and structural
allograft in 2. The mean follow-up time was of 69 months.
Outcome was evaluated through functional and clinical
result. For the clinical evaluation the scale of the Knee
Society was used; the radiographic evaluation assessed the
degree of integration of the graft. The 2 cases of rheumatoid
arthritis presented deep infection of the TKA that required an
arthrodesis for definitive solution. The rest of patients showed
satisfactory results with good integration of the bone graft.
The use of fragmented and structural allograft in revision surgery
of failed TKA solves in a satisfactory way the presence
of bony defects, although in patients with some degree of
inmunosupression the high risk of deep infection forces to
extreme the cautions.