Initial experience with Vanguard(R) total knee arthroplasty

Introduction Biomet Vanguard(R) Complete Knee System is a total knee replacement system, introduced into the market in 2003: thissystem boasts a designed kneecap track or groove which allows for greater mobility and decreased loss of healthy bone during the replacement process. Clinical and radiographic results in Varese Orthopaedics Unit initial experience are reported. Materials and methods Clinical and radiographic parameters are evaluated in 29 patients who underwent TKA (Vanguard(R) Complete Knee System- Biomet Inc.) for primary gonarthrosis during the last 2 years at Orthopaedics and Traumatology Unit of Ospedale di Circolo—Fondazione Macchi in Varese. ROM, type of anaesthesia, patellar pain, clinical and functional Knee Score (pre-operative), size of implant, ROM, blooding, patellar pain, VAS, clinical and func- tional Knee Score (post-operative) are analyzed. Radiographic follow-up is made at 6 and 12 months. Results Clinical and Functional Knee Score respectively improve from 47 to 88 pts and from 51 to 88 pts in pre- and post-operative period (p\0.001). Post-operatively no patellar pain, 2 pts VAS and 1215 cc blooding are reported. ROM doesn’t significantly improve from pre- to post-operative. No relevant complications are reported. Due to the short follow-up, radiographic evaluation does not allow to demonstrate polyethylene liner wear. Conclusions Vanguard(R) Knee Replacement significantly shows a clinical and functional improvement in patients affected by primary gonarthrosis. Moreover, post-operative pain decrease allows early mobilization and rehabilitation.