Different Prevalence of Neuropathic Pain and Risk Factors in Patients with Knee Osteoarthritis at Stages of Outpatient, Awaiting and after Total Knee Arthroplasty

Objective

Neuropathic pain (NP) plays an important role in patients with knee osteoarthritis (KOA). However, the prevalence of NP at different treatment stages including outpatient, awaiting and after total knee arthroplasty (TKA) have not been compared. The understanding of this issue and identify risk factors can help physicians develop individualized strategies to manage the pain of KOA. Therefore, the aim of the study is to investigate the prevalence and risk factors of NP at different treatment stages of KOA.

Methods

Patients diagnosed as KOA between August 2016 and August 2020 were enrolled in this cross‐sectional study and divided into three groups according to treatment stage, including outpatient stage, awaiting TKA stage (pre‐TKA) and after TKA stage (post‐TKA). A numeric rating scale (NRS) and PainDETECT questionnaire were used to evaluate nociceptive pain and NP. Patient demographics, radiological assessments using Kellgren–Lawrence (K‐L) grade, and Western Ontario and McMaster Universities Osteoarthritis Index (WOMAC) scores were analyzed. Data analysis and statistics were processed using SPSS 20.0 and examined by ANOVA with/without Bonferroni correction or Kruskal–Wallis test. A chi‐square test was used to determine cross‐table data and calculate the odds ratio (OR) value.

Results

Of the 921 patients, the prevalence of possible and likely NP was 17.5% (56/320) and 2.5% (8/320) in the pre‐TKA group compared with 3.4% (8/233) and 0.4% (1/233) in the outpatient group and 1.4% (5/368) and 0.5% (2/368) in the post‐TKA group, respectively. In the pre‐TKA group, higher NRS (NRS >3; OR = 10.65, 95% CI: 3.25–34.92, P < 0.001) and WOMAC pain score (score > 10; OR = 4.88, 95% CI: 2.38–10.01, P < 0.001) conferred an increased risk of unclear pain. Age, gender, BMI and K‐L grade showed no significant differences among the unlikely, possible and likely NP groups.

Conclusion

Prevalence of NP is different at stages of out‐patient, awaiting and after TKA in patients with KOA. Patients awaiting TKA have the highest prevalence of NP compared with patients in outpatient and post‐TKA groups. In the patients waiting for TKA, higher NRS (NRS >3) and WOMAC pain scores (score > 10) are risk factors of NP.

The Impact of Room-Sharing on Length of Stay After Total Hip or Knee Arthroplasty: A Retrospective Study

Background

Prolonged length of stay (LOS) after elective total hip (THA) and knee (TKA) arthroplasty is often associated with worse patient outcomes. Social support through room-sharing has been identified as a factor that may reduce LOS in a hospital setting, but has not yet been examined in an orthopedic population. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of single- vs shared-room accommodation after elective TKA or THA on hospital LOS.

Method

A retrospective study was conducted using data from hospital medical records at our institution. Patients receiving unilateral, elective THA or TKA over a 2-year period were eligible. Patients were allocated to either a single room or four-bed shared room. The primary outcome was LOS; secondary outcomes included complications, discharge destination, and return to operating theater.

Results

One hundred eighty-five patients (70 THA, 115 TKA; mean age 65.74 ± 10.38, 59% female) were included, of whom 82 were allocated to a single room and 103 to a shared room. There was no statistically significant difference in LOS between the 2 groups (5.18 ± 2.21 days [single] vs 4.88 ± 2.12 days [shared]; mean difference −0.29 [95% CI −0.92-0.33], P = .36). Analysis modeling for multiple confounders found no association among room allocation, LOS, and discharge destination. However, more patients in single rooms required discharge to rehabilitation (27% vs 9%) and return to theater (7% vs 1%).

Conclusions

Room allocation did not correlate with a difference in LOS in patients undergoing elective THA or TKA.

Planning a total knee arthroplasty through an application for mobile devices: case report

For decades, the main cause of failure in total knee arthroplasty (TKA) is still the malalignment of prosthetic components. The authors present a case of advanced knee arthrosis, treated by TKA. Preoperative planning was performed with a mobile application and the patient was submitted to primary TKA using an implant developed with inspiration from the theory of "modified GAP" with a rotated tibial tray. Neutral mechanical alignment of the lower limbs was obtained and the application proved to be viable regarding its proposed plan for this case.

The use of tourniquet during total knee replacement in patients with and without popliteal artery calcification

Objective

Identify the clinical and surgical complications associated with the use of a tourniquet in total knee arthroplasty in patients with or without calcification of the popliteal artery.

Methods

The study was performed retrospectively, analyzing 58 patients with calcification of the popliteal artery and 57 patients as a control group.

Results

The case group patients were significantly older than patients in the control group; however, this had no impact on the clinical outcome in the analyzed period.

There were no complications during surgery in the groups studied, as there were no statistically significant differences between the incidence of local or systemic intercurrences in the analyzed period.

Conclusion

This study found low rates of complications in patients undergoing total knee arthroplasties with use of a tourniquet, with or without calcification of the popliteal artery.

Calcaneal Insufficiency Fracture after Ipsilateral Total Knee Arthroplasty

Insufficiency fracture of the calcaneus is a rare entity. In the absence of trauma, evaluating a painful ankle in an elderly patient can be difficult and also it might be overlook the insufficiency fracture. We experienced a case of insufficiency calcaneus fracture that occurred after ipsilateral total knee arthroplasty. Here, we report our case with a review of literatures.