Extensile Exposures for Total Knee Arthroplasty

A well-planned surgical approach allowing for adequate exposure is a common difficulty encountered in revision total knee arthroplasty. Careful attention must be paid to patients who have undergone previous knee operations as the skin may have become densely scarred into the deep fascial layers or even to the underlying bone. As a result, the surgical approach is particularly difficult secondary to a loss of tissue elasticity, which can place the patient at risk for wound breakdown.