Metaphyseal Metal Sleeves for Reconstruction of Severe Knee Bone Defects: Excellent Survival Rate at a Mean Follow‐Up of 6.4 Years

OBJECTIVE: Management of bone loss in complex primary and revision total knee arthroplasty is key to the surgeries. Metaphyseal metal sleeves have been increasingly used recently to reconstruct severe knee metaphyseal bone defects. This study aimed to investigate the outcomes of the metaphyseal sleeve reconstructing Anderson Orthopedic Research Institute (AORI) type II and type III bone defects of knee joint. METHODS: From 2014 to 2019, a total of 44 knees were enrolled in this clinical retrospective study after the screening, including seven cases of primary TKA and 37 cases of revision TKA. The types of bone defects involved in this study were AORI types II and III, and did not involve AORI type I bone defects. Patients' knee function preoperatively and postoperatively as well as quality of life were recorded and analyzed. Analysis included the American Knee Society Score (KSS), hospital for special surgery knee score (HSS), the Western Ontario and McMaster Universities (WOMAC) index, the Short Form 12 (SF‐12) health survey, visual analogue scale score, and radiographic assessment with a mean follow‐up of 6.4 years. Paired t‐tests were used to determine the significance of changes in clinical scores and knee mobility. RESULTS: A mean follow‐up of 77.2 (±17.6, standard deviation [SD]) months was performed, and none of the patients underwent knee revision for infection or aseptic loosening. At the last follow‐up, the KSS knee score changed statistically from 37.1 (±19.7) preoperatively to 86.5 (±13.6, SD, p < 0.001) postoperatively and the KSS function score from 32.7 (±24.0) preoperatively to 78.3 (±15.6, SD, p < 0.001) postoperatively. The knee mobility improved from a mean of preoperative 72.61° (±33.42°, SD) to 108.52° (±24.15°, SD, p < 0.001). Postoperative radiographs showed that the host bone was tightly integrated with the metaphyseal metal sleeve, and there was no obvious translucent line formation around the sleeve. Of the patients, 86.4% had a postoperative satisfaction score ≥8 (10‐point scale). CONCLUSION: At the mean follow‐up of 6.4 years, the survival rate of the metaphyseal sleeves was 100%. Metaphyseal sleeves combined with cementless stems is an excellent and viable option for reconstruction of AORI type II and type III bone defects of the knee.