Total knee arthroplasty (TKA) is one of the most successful procedures in orthopedic surgery for treating advanced knee osteoarthritis, providing pain relief, functional recovery, and improved quality of life. Advances in implant design and materials have further enhanced joint kinematics and patient satisfaction. An aging population has increased the number of elderly patients with comorbidities, potentially affecting surgical outcomes and implant longevity. Polyethylene has long been used in knee prostheses; early all-polyethylene tibial components were abandoned due to high wear and failure rates, in favor of metal-backed designs, which became the gold standard. Recently, highly cross-linked ultra-high-molecular-weight polyethylene (UHMWPE) has renewed interest in all-polyethylene tibial components, although their use remains limited. These implants offer potential advantages, including elimination of locking mechanism failures, reduced backside wear, lower costs, and possibly better load distribution. Evidence from registries, systematic reviews, and meta-analyses shows that 15-year survival of all-polyethylene tibial components is comparable or even superior to metal-backed designs, with no significant differences in clinical-functional outcomes. Additionally, all-poly components are significantly less expensive. Given these findings, increasing their use and evaluating outcomes in Italy is warranted. The aim of the present study is to assess implant survival of the Link Symphoknee prosthesis with an all-polyethylene tibial component, along with clinical-functional outcomes and post-discharge readmission rates in patients treated at the Rizzoli Orthopaedic Institute.
Study Type
INTERVENTIONAL
Allocation
NA
Purpose
TREATMENT
Masking
NONE
Enrollment
78
Implantation of the Link Symphoknee prosthesis with an all-polyethylene tibial component
IRCCS Rizzoli Orthopedic Institute
Bologna, Italy
Implant failure
It is defined as revision of the prosthesis for any reason-septic, aseptic, or traumatic.
Time frame: Up to 5 years post-surgery
Knee injury and Osteoarthritis Outcome Score (KOOS)
It is a subjective score consisting of 42 questions divided into 5 main domains. These domains assess different aspects of symptoms and daily activities, as well as knee-related quality of life.
Time frame: Up to 5 years post-surgery
Forgotten Joint Score (FJS)
The Forgotten Joint Score (FJS-12) is a patient-reported outcome measure consisting of 12 questions that assesses how frequently a patient forgets they have a joint prosthesis during daily activities. It measures the patient's perception of the artificial joint rather than pain or function alone, with higher scores (0-100) indicating better "forgetting" of the joint
Time frame: Up to 5 years post-surgery
Visual Analog Scale (VAS) pain
A 10-point unidimensional visual analog scale (VAS) for pain assessment, consisting of a 10 cm horizontal line ranging from "no pain" (0) to "worst imaginable pain" (10). The patient marks their perceived pain intensity on the line, and the distance from zero is measured to quantify pain. It is also used pre- and post-operatively to assess lateral knee pain; a score \>2 is considered the presence of lateral compartment pain, while ≤2 indicates its absence
Time frame: Up to 5 years post-surgery
VAS Satisfaction
Intraoperative and postoperative complications will be recorded. Any hospital readmissions within 90 days of discharge after the arthroplasty procedure will also be documented
Time frame: Up to 5 years post-surgery
Hip-Knee-Ankle angle (HKA)
It is the angle that measures the mechanical alignment of the lower limb, drawn between the hip, knee, and ankle axes on a weight-bearing radiograph. It is used to assess whether the leg is neutrally aligned or shows varus or valgus deformity
Time frame: Up to 5 years post-surgery
This platform is for informational purposes only and does not constitute medical advice. Always consult a qualified healthcare professional.