Early, posttraumatic, frontal instability of the knee joint deriving from injured medial collateral ligament, after total knee arthroplasty, complicated by wound dehiscence and Clostridium difficile infection in a 70-year-old patient

Abstract

Gonarthrosis is a joint disease in which a balance between regenerative and degenerative processes of articular cartilage is impaired. Its main symptoms are: pain, swelling, rigidity, function restraint as well as articular deformation [1]. It is estimated that about 40% of the knee joint degeneration is a consequence of ageing of the body. 60% of remaining cases of gonarthrosis is a result of excessive strain, contusion and injury. Patients with advanced arthrosis are qualified for total arthroplasty of the knee. Medial collateral ligament (MCL) is responsible for the medial stability of the knee joint, it prevents from valgus deformity and restraints external rotation of tibia relative to the femur. Injury, most often distorting the knee, may lead to straining as well as complete rupture of the MCL [2,3]. We present a case of a 70-year-old patient with MCL injury that happened three weeks after total knee arthroplasty, complicated by wound dehiscence. Insufficiency of the medial collateral ligament in our patient had an effect in longer healing process and rehabilitation. Main treatment options are: revision surgery with use of constrained implants and injured medial collateral ligament reconstruction. Constrained implants may have reduced longevity in some patients through aseptic loosening. Our patient underwent a MCL reconstruction. Reconstruction of MCL without revision arthroplasty has good results for injured MCL after total arthroplasty of the knee.