Wound Problems in Total Knee Arthroplasty

Abstract

Wound problems can often be prevented with careful planning. When transverse incisions are used for knee surgery many years prior to any anticipated knee arthroplasty, no major problems are typically encountered with a conventional, anterior longitudinal incision. We recommend lateral incisions (eg, after a previous lateral tibial plateau fracture) be reused for TKA. When confronted with multiple previous incisions, surgeons would best use the most recently healed or the most lateral. We prefer soft tissue reconstruction with expanders or a gastrocnemius flap if there are multiple incisions, if the skin and scar tissue are adherent to underlying tissue, or if wound healing seems questionable. Deep infection must be determined by aspiration. When present, we believe treatment must include irrigation, débridement, polyethylene exchange if acute, and resection arthroplasty if chronic. Poor wound healing is a potentially devastating complication that may result in multiple reconstructive procedures and even amputation. Early recognition followed by expeditious débridement and soft tissue reconstruction should be used for managing wound complications after TKA.