Abstract
Purpose: To determine the incidence of complications and re-operation up to one year following primary total knee replacement in a single health region.
Methods: The Trent Arthroplasty Audit group collects prospective data on all knee replacements performed within this health region (population 5.2 million). All patients are sent a validated self-administered questionnaire one year after surgery. The questionnaire addresses patient satisfaction and any complications and re-operations following surgery. We analysed the returned questionnaires of patients who had their arthroplasty in the years 1998 to 2000. Responses were received from 4317 patients (response rate 75%). Clinical records were also examined to obtain additional information.
Results: Patients reported complications in 516 knees (500 patients). Complication rate (12%). We have no knowledge of the complexity of the surgery but 60% of the complications occurred in patients operated on by a Consultant, 29% by a Specialist Registrar and 10% by an Associate Specialist/ Staff Grade. 2.2% (125 patients) of the patients died within one year of their arthroplasty. The incidence of complications, as stated by the patient was as follows:
Complication: Pain 7%,Stiffness 2%,Superficial infection 1%, Swelling 0.7%, Deep infection 0.7%, DVT 0.4%.
Re-operation / Revision Surgery: Revision: 1.2% (infection 0.5%: Instability 0.7%: Patellar resurfacing 0.4%), Manipulation (1.3%), Arthroscopy (0.7%), ORIF of Periprosthetic # (0.06%).
Conclusion: 12 % of the patients who had a primary knee replacement in Trent region between 1998 and 2000 considered that they had a complication. The deep infection rate was 0.5% and one-year post surgery the revision rate, for all causes was 1.2%. The Manipulation rate was 1.3%.
The abstracts were prepared by Mr Roger Smith. Correspondence should be addressed to him at the British Association for Surgery of the Knee, c/o BOA, Royal College of Surgeons of England, 35–43 Lincoln’s Inn Fields, London WC2A 3PN.
