SAGE Open Medical Case Reports (Feb 2023)

Total knee arthroplasty and patelloplasty in a patient with phocomelia caused by thalidomide

  • Hendrik Fahlbusch,
  • Malte Ohlmeier,
  • Hans Mau,
  • Tobias Ballhause,
  • Mustafa Citak,
  • Thorsten Gehrke,
  • Moritz Korth

DOI
https://doi.org/10.1177/2050313X231154635
Journal volume & issue
Vol. 11

Abstract

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The treatment of osteoarthritis in patients with phocomelia with total knee arthroplasty is challenging due to the unusual anatomy and severe deformities. The authors present a case of phocomelia caused by thalidomide with end-stage osteoarthritis and grossly medialized patella. The patient was treated with a cemented constrained non-hinged prosthesis and patelloplasty. Six months later, the patient had complete relief of pain and was able to walk without walking assistance. To our knowledge, total knee replacement in a patient with phocomelia caused by thalidomide has not been described in literature.