# Total Knee Arthroplasty After a Previous Patellectomy: A Case Report With a Six-Month Follow-Up and a Review of the Literature

## TL;DR

This case report details a total knee replacement in a patient who previously had their kneecap removed, with a six-month follow-up and literature review.

## Contribution

The paper presents a rare case of TKA after patellectomy and reviews literature on prosthesis efficacy in such cases.

## Key findings

- The patient experienced improved knee function six months after TKA.
- Literature suggests specific prosthetic designs may be more effective in patellectomy patients.
- Biomechanical challenges were noted during the surgical procedure.

## Abstract

Total knee arthroplasty (TKA) is a widely performed surgical intervention for the treatment of knee osteoarthritis. However, various patient-specific factors altering the biomechanics can influence the surgical technique and the postoperative outcomes. In this case report, a patient is presented who was admitted to our hospital with chronic left knee pain caused by osteoarthritis, with a history of patellectomy after a traumatic event 35 years ago. The surgical procedure undertaken, intraoperative findings, and clinical outcomes six months postoperatively are presented in detail. Furthermore, a review of the literature on knee prostheses utilized, and their efficacy in similar cases, is provided.