Removal of a well-fixed trabecular metal monoblock tibial component.

Abstract

The use of porous tantalum (Trabecular Metal; Zimmer, Inc, Warsaw, Ind) in hip and knee reconstruction has become increasingly popular over the past few years. Widespread clinical use of porous tantalum tibial components for primary total knee arthroplasty has been tempered in part by the perceived difficulty in removing this implant after bone ingrowth has occurred. We present an easy, reproducible, and inexpensive technique for removal of a well-fixed Trabecular Metal Monoblock Tibial Component (Zimmer), which has been used in 4 revision knees. This technique does not require the use of any specialized equipment and results in the production of minimal metallic debris.