It sounds as thought your surgeon will be putting in a knee made from bone cement. If this is the case, it's actually the first stage of a two-stage revision. They have been known to last more than just temporarily these days, so the idea of it lasting for 5 years seems possible. At that point, presuming you've had no infection, I imagine he would go ahead and place a regular revision knee component.
Here is a description of the two-step revision process from the National Center for Biotechnology Information (NCBI):
Two-stage reimplantation is considered the gold standard for the management of periprosthetic joint infection. The first stage involves the removal of the prosthesis, followed by extensive debridement of all nonviable tissues, synovectomy, irrigation, and reaming of the medullary canals. Once the joint has been prepared, antibiotic-impregnated cement beads and/or spacer are inserted. Antibiotic-impregnated spacers are now more commonly used, and an increasing number of orthopaedic surgeons are using articulating spacers if indicated. Antibiotics are then prescribed to the patient based on the sensitivities of the infecting organism. The duration of systemic antibiotic use is decreasing, and short courses of antibiotic therapy have been shown to be as efficacious as prolonged therapy between the first and second stages. The second stage of the procedure involves removal of the antibiotic-impregnated cement beads and/or spacer, repeat irrigation and debridement, and final reconstruction with revision components.
United States
