Cementless versus cemented total knee arthroplasty in young patients: a meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials

PURPOSE: Optimal type of prosthesis in total knee arthroplasty (TKA) remains controversial for young patients. The objective of this meta-analysis is to compare cementless and cemented fixation in TKA. METHODS: In this meta-analysis, we conducted electronic searches of PubMed, Embase, Cochrane Library, and Web of Science in December 2018. We collected randomized controlled trials (RCTs) comparing cementless and cemented TKA in young patients. The outcome measurements consisted of functional outcomes, Knee Society Score, range of motion, radiological outcomes, pain score, and complications. Stata 12.0 software was used for our meta-analysis. Quality assessment for RCTs was conducted according to the Cochrane Handbook for systematic review of interventions. RESULTS: Four RCTs met our inclusion criteria with 255 patients in cemented groups and 229 patients in cementless groups. The present meta-analysis indicated that there was a significant difference between the groups in terms of radiological outcomes and pain score. No significant difference was found regarding KSS, range of motion, or complications. CONCLUSION: Cementless TKA was associated with superior outcomes in terms of radiological outcomes and pain score compared with cemented fixation. We found no significant difference regarding the functional outcome or aseptic loosening between groups. High-quality RCTs were still required for further investigation.