title: Continuous passive motion after knee-joint arthrolysis under catheter peridural anesthesia.
abstract: The results of arthrolysis of a stiff knee are often poor because postoperative pain prevents the early active mobilization that is so essential. Adequate analgesia may be ensured by the use of continuous anesthesia via a peridural catheter; in combination with continuous passive motion, such analgesia is able to maintain, and often improve, the range of movement obtained at surgery. Twenty-two patients treated in this way showed improvement in the range of movement between 39 degrees and 120 degrees. Patients with post-traumatic knee stiffness achieved an average improvement in the range of movement of 93%, while those with stiffness following infection improved by only 55% on the average. The preoperative loss of movement does not appear to determine the end result; the etiology of the stiffness is more important.
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000767:Anesthesia, Epidural; D001696:Biomechanical Phenomena; D002404:Catheterization; D004434:Early Ambulation; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007592:Joint Diseases / Q000601:surgery*; D007719:Knee Joint / Q000601:surgery*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009068:Movement; D005082:Physical Exertion; D011183:Postoperative Complications; D000267:Tissue Adhesions / Q000601:surgery*