title: Functional outcome and patient satisfaction in total knee patients over the age of 75.
abstract: Seventy-four patients, age 75 or older, who had undergone 98 primary total knee arthroplasties were evaluated in a retrospective cohort study, with validated questionnaires that assessed self-reported pain, physical function, mental health, and satisfaction. Average follow-up period was 34 months (range, 12-67 months). Overall, 90.8% reported improvement, 88.8% were satisfied with the results of surgery, and 91.8% felt they had made the right decision. Dissatisfaction with the results correlated with poorer mental health scores, decreased physical function, and increased bodily pain scores (P < .05). Satisfaction was correlated with better pain scores on the Western Ontario and McMaster Universities Osteoarthritis Index (WOMAC) and SF-36 (P < .05) but not with Hospital for Special Surgery scores (P = .328). Poor surgical results leading to revision surgery (5%) were associated with preoperative deformity greater than 20 degrees. Based on this patient-assessed outcome analysis, total knee arthroplasty is a worthwhile and beneficial procedure in the elderly.
authors.affiliation: Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Northwestern University Medical School, Chicago, Illinois, USA.
authors.forename: J G
authors.initials: JG
authors.lastname: Anderson
authors.forename: R L
authors.initials: RL
authors.lastname: Wixson
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Tsai
authors.forename: S D
authors.initials: SD
authors.lastname: Stulberg
authors.forename: R W
authors.initials: RW
authors.lastname: Chang
mesh_terms: D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D015331:Cohort Studies; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D007719:Knee Joint / Q000502:physiology*; D007720:Knee Prosthesis; D017063:Outcome Assessment, Health Care; D017060:Patient Satisfaction; D011183:Postoperative Complications; D012086:Reoperation; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D016896:Treatment Outcome