Total knee arthroplasty in patients </=50 years old.

Thirty patients (30 knees) who underwent total knee arthroplasty at age </=50 were reviewed. These patients were operated on between July 1, 1991, and May 1, 1995, with final follow-up evaluation at a mean of 86 months (range, 60-107 months). At final evaluation, 18 knees (60%) had excellent Knee Society objective scores, 11 knees (37%) had good scores, and 1 knee (3%) had a poor score. There were no statistically significant differences in Knee Society objective scores among the cemented group (mean, 88 points), hybrid group (mean, 88 points), and noncemented group (mean, 90 points). One patient (3%) had a revision because of unexplained pain. In the other knees, there was no radiographic evidence of progressive loosening, lucencies, or change in position or alignment of the prosthesis. Total knee arthroplasty of this design, at least for the time period studied (7-year mean follow-up), has a high rate of success in patients who are </=50 years old. Copyright 2002, Elsevier Science (USA). All rights reserved.