Economic-demographic Assessment of the Aseptic Mobilization of Knee Prostheses Through the RIPO Registry and Radiographic Analysis of the Case Series From the II Clinic of IOR

The increase in life expectancy is leading to an increase in the average age of patients undergoing total knee arthroplasty (TKA), and, consequently, an increase in the number of revisions. The main cause of TKA failure is aseptic mobilization, which is described as the loss of integration between the prosthetic component and the bone in the absence of infection. This represents a significant impact on professional and economic resources for the Italian healthcare system. Aseptic mobilization can be caused by inadequate initial fixation of the implant and/or mechanical or biological loss of fixation over time, factors that often occur simultaneously. A careful, methodical evaluation of post-operative radiographs of TKAs remains an important diagnostic tool. The analysis of the causes of aseptic mobilization of TKAs and the associated economic impact in the Emilia Romagna region is useful for providing an estimate of the problem and identifying potential areas for improvement.