Radiolucency surrounding the posterior cruciate condylar total knee prosthetic components.

A total of 73 knees with posterior cruciate condylar knee replacements and postoperative follow-ups of two years or more were examined roentgenographically at six months, one year, and two years for evidence of surrounding radiolucency. Those subjects with evidence of lucent lines surrounding either the tibial, femoral, or patellar components at the two-year postoperative point were compared to subjects revealing no radiolucency on the basis of The Hospital for Special Surgery Knee Rating Scale. Twenty-five subjects were noted to have femoral component radiolucency, 16 showed tibial component radiolucency, and two had evidence of patellar radiolucency. All instances of radiolucency were incomplete and less than 1 mm in width. There was no significant difference in the total code or pain code between the radiolucent and nonradiolucent groups. The subject's preoperative diagnosis did not rest upon the appearance of lucent lines. At the two-year postoperative interval, radiolucency of this extent does not appear to be a sign of imminent loosening.