Approach towards total knee arthroplasty in Brazil: cross-sectional study.
OBJECTIVE
Total knee arthroplasty (TKA) has evolved particularly since the 1970s, with improvements in implants and surgical instruments, and has thus become an effective intervention for treating knee arthrosis. Many studies have presented rates of satisfactory clinical and radiological results greater than 90%, from follow-ups of over ten years. Nevertheless, despite scientific evidence showing the efficacy of TKA, the approaches taken present controversies in certain respects. The objective of this study was to evaluate how the Brazilian orthopedists deal with TKA, with investigation of the main aspects of this procedure.


METHODS
Cross-sectional survey conducted during the 39th Brazilian Congress of Orthopedics and Traumatology, in São Paulo, Brazil, in November 2007.


METHODS
We applied a questionnaire to orthopedists registered at the congress. The questionnaire was randomly distributed and participation was voluntary; 858 completed questionnaires were included in the analysis.


RESULTS
Most of the Brazilian orthopedists were members of SBOT and worked in the southeastern region. They used imported cemented implants through an anterior access route centered on the patella, with replacement of the joint surface of the patella and preservation of the posterior cruciate ligament. They did not have experience with simultaneous bilateral TKA. Postoperatively, they used antibiotics and suction drains for 48 hours. There was no consensus regarding prophylaxis for venous thromboembolism or the frequency of the main complications.


CONCLUSIONS
The majority of Brazilian orthopedists work in the southeastern region of the country and agree about the main aspects of the approaches towards TKA.
Almeida
Raul Frankllim de Carvalho
RF
Department of Orthopedics and Traumatology, Universidade Federal de São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil. dr.raulalmeida@gmail.com
Queiroz
Antônio Altenor Bessa de
AA
Belloti
João Carlos
JC
Castro Filho
José Maria Bedran de
JM
Cohen
Moisés
M
Navarro
Ricardo Dizioli
RD
D019645:Arthroplasty, Replacement, Knee / Q000379:methods* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D001938:Brazil; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D019538:Health Care Surveys; D006801:Humans; D009985:Orthopedics / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D010818:Practice Patterns, Physicians' / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*