Evaluation of Triathlon - a New Total Knee Prosthesis System - Triathlon vs. Duracon

The evaluation is carried out by a prospective randomised RSA-study with Triathlon cemented knee prosthesis versus Duracon cemented knee prosthesis.

Inclusion criteria

• Patients suffering exclusively from osteo arthritis (OA), Stage II-V [Ahlbäck, 1968] will be operated.
• Patients requiring knee prosthesis, suitable for the use of Duracon and Triathlon knee system
• Patients who understand the conditions of the study and are willing and able to comply with the post-operative scheduled clinical and radiographical evaluations and the prescribed rehabilitation.
• Patients who signed the Ethics Committee approved Informed Consent Form prior to surgery.

Exclusion criteria

• Previous major knee surgery
• Other significant disabling problems from the muscular-skeletal system than in the knees
• Obese patients where obesity is severe enough to affect subject's ability to perform activities of daily living (body mass index, kg/m2: BMI above 35).
• Patients with active or suspected infection.
• Patients with malignancy - active malignancy.
• Patients with severe osteoporosis, Paget's disease, renal osteodystrophy.
• Patients immunologically suppressed, or receiving steroids in excess of physiologic dose requirements.
• The patient has a neuromuscular or neurosensory deficit which would limit the ability to assess the performance of the device or the patient has a neurological deficit which interferes with the patient's ability to limit weight bearing or places an extreme load on the implant during the healing period.
• Female patients planning a pregnancy during the course of the study.
• Patients with systemic or metabolic disorders leading to progressive bone deterioration.
• Patients, who as judged by the surgeon, are mentally incompetent or are unlikely to be compliant with the prescribed post-operative routine and follow-up evaluation schedule.
• Patients with other severe concurrent joint involvements, which can affect their outcome.
• Patients with other concurrent illnesses, which are likely to affect their outcome such as sickle cell anaemia, systemic lupus erythematosus or renal disease requiring dialysis.
• Patients under the protection of law (e.g. guardianship).