Functional and Clinical Outcomes of Total Knee Arthroplasty: A Prospective Study.

Introduction: A key to successful patient outcomes following knee procedures like total knee arthroplasty (TKA) is achieving normal knee alignment. Normal mechanical balance in the joints must be restored in order to lessen the failure rate of TKA, and precise assessment of lower extremity alignment and component location is thought to be the primary determinant of a good clinical outcome over the long term.
Objective: The aim of this study was to assess the early functional and clinical outcomes of TKA by analyzing post-operative mechanical axis and Knee Society Score (KSS) data. The study also aimed to investigate the importance of achieving neutral mechanical alignment in TKA for long-term results.
Methods: A prospective and retrospective observational study was conducted, involving 40 patients with primary osteoarthritis who underwent bilateral or unilateral TKA. Demographic information, pre-operative comorbidities, knee abnormalities, and radiographic assessment were collected. Post-operative mechanical axis and implant placement were evaluated using CT scanograms. Clinical and functional assessments were performed using the Knee Society Score at regular intervals. The KSS scores were obtained at six-month intervals following surgery. The scores were categorized as excellent, very good, good, fair, or poor based on predefined criteria.
Results: A total of 47 knees from 40 patients were analyzed. The mean age of the study population was 65.6 years. Female patients accounted for 67.5% of the sample. The majority of patients (57.4%) achieved an excellent KSS score, followed by very good (25.5%) and good (17%) scores. The mean KSS score significantly improved from 177 points pre-surgery to 225 points post-surgery. The post-operative mechanical axis ranged from 1.1 degrees valgus to 9 degrees valgus, with a mean value of 3.5 degrees valgus. The range of motion improved from 10 to 90 degrees post-operatively, with a mean range of 0-110 degrees.
Conclusion: This study suggests that total knee replacement surgery resulted in positive outcomes, with most patients achieving excellent or very good scores on the Knee Society scale. Proper axial and rotational alignment of the components during TKA enhanced functional outcomes and contributed to long-term clinical success. Restoration of neutral mechanical alignment and optimal component placement may lead to lower revision rates and increased durability after TKA. Further studies with larger sample sizes are needed to validate these findings.
Competing Interests: The authors have declared that no competing interests exist.
(Copyright © 2024, Chaudhary et al.)