Cement or cementless fixation in total knee arthroplasty?

A prospectively studied group of 59 knees with cementless fixation were compared to a retrospectively studied but matched group of 59 knees with cement fixation using a Press Fit Condylar prosthesis. The only significant preoperative difference between the patient groups was mean age; the cemented group was on average nine years older than the cementless group (p less than 0.0001). At an average of 2.8 years after surgery, there were no significant differences in knee scores between the two groups. Radiolucent lines adjacent to the tibial component were similar in both groups. The complication rate of 20% in the cementless knees was higher than the 12% rate in the cemented knees; this was primarily related to polyethylene wear of metal-backed patellar components. Cement or cementless fixation of this prosthesis appears to provide equivalent early results.