Simultaneous or staged bilateral total knee replacements in rheumatoid arthritis. A prospective study

Abstract

In a prospective study of 100 knee arthroplasties in patients with rheumatoid arthritis, simultaneous bilateral surgery was compared with staged bilateral replacements. All patients had improved funcion following their operations but those who had staged surgery only achieved maximum benefit after the second knee had been replaced. The complication rate was no greater for simultaneous surgery and we therefore advocate the method for those patients who require bilateral replacements.