Case Challenges: What Would You Do?

Is a tragically bad result simply unavoidable or were there choices along the way that might have lead to success? At what point does a difficult case require a maximally aggressive approach and, by contrast, when should the surgeon abandon hope of conventional success and recommend arthrodesis or amputation? Three cases highlight the “end game” scenario in knee arthroplasty surgery and the difficulty in knowing when a successful reimplantation is unlikely, when ambitious surgery puts the patient's life at risk, and when the remaining options are only: permanent resection arthroplasty, arthrodesis, or amputation.