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The Effect of Sensory Deficit After Total Knee Arthroplasty on Patient Satisfaction and Kneeling Ability.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Skin numbness after total knee arthroplasty is a common complication. The incidence in the literature is variable from 27% to 100%. However, there is conflicting evidence about the consequences of this complication. The purpose of this study was to evaluate if postoperative numbness influenced patient satisfaction or kneeling ability.

Methods

We recruited patients who underwent a total knee arthroplasty for osteoarthritis one to 5 years before the study. Sensation was measured using a Semmes-Weinstein, 10-gram monofilament. Measurements were taken in several zones around the incision, and overall sensory status was classified as full numbness, partial numbness, and no numbness. Patients completed a questionnaire evaluating their subjective numbness, overall satisfaction, and kneeling ability. We evaluated the effect of numbness on satisfaction and function.

Results

A total of 96 patients were enrolled. Thirty-four patients were classified as no sensory deficit, 29 as partial deficit, and 33 as full deficit. There were no differences in demographics. Out of all the patients that were found to have a sensory deficit, 54.8% of them did not report any subjective numbness. Average patient-reported satisfaction scores were 8.76/10, 8.97/10, and 8.48/10 for no numbness, partial numbness, and full numbness, respectively. Eleven out of 96 patients noted an inability to kneel. There was no statistical difference for satisfaction scores or kneeling ability between the groups.

Conclusion

Sensory deficit after total knee arthroplasty is a frequently reported complication. However, the majority of the patients do not report subjective sensory deficits. Postoperative numbness does not appear to affect patient satisfaction or kneeling ability.

SUBMITTER: MacDonald B

PROVIDER: S-EPMC7987932 | biostudies-literature |

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature

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Project description:IntroductionThe objective of this study was to assess the number and magnitude of preoperative expectations and to correlate them with the degree of satisfaction expressed one year after Total Hip Arthroplasty (THA) or Total Knee Arthroplasty (TKA), in patients with severe and painful osteoarthritis (OA).Materials and methodsPreoperative expectations (within 20 days prior to surgery) and postoperative satisfaction (one year after the intervention) were measured using the previously validated French version of the Hospital for Special Surgery Hip or Knee Replacement Expectations Survey. Postoperative satisfaction was measured using a specific scale, following the same methodology as that used for the assessment of expectations. Prediction of the satisfaction of the patients was performed using multivariate linear regression modelling.ResultsA total of 138 patients (80 THA and 58 TKA) completed the two parts of the study. The expectations score (mean ± SD) (range 0-100) was 72.58 ± 12.63 before THA and 69.10 ± 13.72 before TKA (p = 0.13). The number of expectations expressed was 14.34 ± 1.32 (out of a potential maximum of 18) before THA and 14.70 ± 2.29 (out of a potential maximum of 19) before TKA. After 1 year, THA generated a significantly higher degree of satisfaction compared to TKA (69.70 ± 14.46 v 60.44 ± 17.54, p<0.001) (range 0-100). The pre-operative expectations score was the single best positive predictor of the post-surgery satisfaction assessment both for TKA and THA.ConclusionPatients undergoing total joint arthroplasty for end-stage OA have a high level of expectations, before both THA and TKA. While both types of interventions significantly improve essential and non-essential activities, the rate of satisfaction is significantly greater post THA. Preoperative expectations are a major contributor to the final degree of satisfaction, one year after surgery. These results re-emphasize the need for an optimal preoperative interaction between health care providers and patients, to allow patients a chance to foresee a reasonable outcome after TJA.