This meta-analysis looked at 969 knees across 55 different groups to evaluate treatments for periprosthetic joint infections. These are infections that occur after a patient has already received a total knee arthroplasty. The study specifically compared intramedullary arthrodesis to other common methods like traditional bone fusion and cement constructs.
The findings show that intramedullary arthrodesis is an effective way to save a limb. Specifically, the study found that using modern prosthetic or intercalary cement constructs resulted in lower failure rates compared to traditional bone-on-bone fusion. For example, traditional fusion showed a 12% failure rate, while some other methods showed much lower rates.
While the procedure is effective for limb salvage, the data shows a 28% overall complication rate and an 11% rate of recurrent infection. Because these complications can be significant, patients should discuss the specific risks and the best construction type with their surgical team.
