Background. Total knee replacement (TKR) is an effective operation for many patients, however approximately 20% of patients experience chronic pain and functional limitations in the months and years following their TKR. If modifiable pre-operative risk factors could be identified, this would allow patients to be targeted with individualised care to optimise these factors prior to surgery and potentially improve outcomes. Psychosocial factors have also been found to be important in predicting outcomes in the first 12 months after TKR, however their impact on long-term outcomes is unknown. This study aimed to identify pre-operative psychosocial predictors of patient-reported and clinician-assessed outcomes at one year and five years after primary TKR. Patients and methods. 266 patients listed for a Triathlon TKR because of osteoarthritis were recruited from pre-operative assessment clinics at one orthopaedic centre. Knee pain and function were assessed pre-operatively and at one and five years post-operative using the WOMAC Pain score, WOMAC Function score and American Knee Society Score (AKSS) Knee score. Pre-operative depression, anxiety, catastrophizing, pain self-efficacy and social support were assessed using patient-reported outcome measures. Statistical analyses were conducted using multiple linear regression and mixed effect linear regression, and adjusted for confounding variables. Results. Higher anxiety was a predictor of worse self-reported pain at one year post-operative. Higher anxiety and catastrophizing were predictive of worse self-reported function at one year post-operative. No psychosocial factors were associated with any outcome measures at five years post-operative. Analysis of change over time found that patients with higher pain self-efficacy had lower pre-operative pain and experienced less improvement in pain up to one year. Higher pain self-efficacy was associated with less improvement in the AKSS up to one year post-operative but more improvement between one and five years post-operative. Conclusion. This study found that pre-operative anxiety and catastrophizing influence outcomes at one year after TKR, highlighting that some patients may benefit from targeted psychological interventions to reduce these risk factors and improve outcomes. However, none of the psychosocial variables assessed were predictors of outcomes at five years post-operative, suggesting that the negative effects of anxiety and catastrophizing on outcome do not persist in the longer term

Around 1% of the 185,000 primary hip and knee arthroplasties performed in the UK are followed by prosthetic joint infection (PJI). Although PJI affects a small percentage of patients, it is one of the most devastating complications associated with this procedure. Treatment usually involves further major surgery which can adversely affect patients' quality of life. Understanding current service provision provides valuable information needed to design and evaluate support interventions for patients. The aim of this survey was to identify usual care pathways and support in UK NHS orthopaedic centres for this population. The 20 highestvolume UK NHS orthopaedic centresfor hip and knee arthroplasty account for 33–50% of all cases treated for prosthetic joint infection. Infection leads at each centre were invited to participate in a survey about usual care provision and support for PJI. Questions exploredfollow up time-points; use of standard outcome measures; multidisciplinary care plans; supportive in-patient care and care after treatment; and onward referrals. Survey responses were recorded on a standardised proforma. Data were entered into Excel for analysis, then reviewed and coded into categories and frequency statistics to describe categorical data. A descriptive summary was developed based on these categories. Eleven of the highestvolume orthopaedic centres completed the survey. Follow-up of patients varied greatly across centres; some centres reviewed patients at weekly or 2 week intervals, while all centres saw patients at 6 weeks. Long-term follow-up varied across centres from 3–4 monthsto 12 monthly. Length of follow-up period varied from until the infection had cleared toindefinitely. Follow-up timepoints were only standardised in 4 out of 11 centres. Only 1 centre had a dedicated infection clinic. Advice on who patients should contact if they had concerns included the consultant, community nurse, extended scope practitioner or the ward, while 3 centres told patients to avoid calling their GP. Only half of the centres routinely used standardised outcome measures with patients with PJI. The majority of centres provided standard physiotherapy and occupational therapy (OT) to in-patients while approximately half also offered social support. Only one centre provided dedicated physiotherapy and OT on a separate infection ward. Three centres provided hospital at home or community services to patients in-between operative stages. Only 3 out of 11 centres stated they had specific multidisciplinary care plans in place for patients. Once discharged most patients were provided with physiotherapy, OT and social services if needed. Common barriersto referral included complexities of referring patients outside the hospital catchment area;lack of availability of community services, and shortage of staff including physiotherapists. Delays in rehab and social services could also be problematic. Findings show wide variation intreatment pathways and support for patients treated for PJI, both as inpatients and in the community. Only one of the 11 centreswho participated had a dedicated infection clinic. Only one centre suggested they individualised their physiotherapy support. A number of barriers exist to referring patients on to other support services after revision surgery