title: [Case-control study on the relationship between pain and knee function after the internal fixation of femoral fractures].
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To investigate the relationship between pain and knee function after the internal fixation of femoral fractures.
  
  
  METHODS
  The clinical data of 73 patients after internal fixation on femoral fractures from June 2006 to December 2009 were retrospectively analyzed. All the patients were divided into two groups according to the degree of postoperative pain: low score group and high score group. Among the 39 patients in low score group (VAS 1 to 5 point), 25 patients were male and 14 patients were female, with a mean age of (37.5 +/- 5.3) years (ranged from 27 to 63 years ). Among 34 patients in high score group (VAS 6 to 10 point), 22 patients were male and 12 patients were female, with a mean age of (36.3 +/- 9.6) years (ranged from 29 to 62 years). The intra-articular pressure of knee and hospital for special surgery knee rating scale (HSS) were recorded and analyzed.
  
  
  RESULTS
  All the patients were followed up for an average duration of 24.1 months. The intra-articular pressure of knee was rising for two groups, there were significant difference for the high score group compared with the low score group at 3 days after operation (t=15.67, P=0.000) and the end time of follow up (t=5.63, P=0.000). As to knee joint function, in low score group, 21 patients got an excellent result, 4 good, 7 poor and 2 bad; in high score group, 31 patients got an excellent result, 6 good, 2 poor and no bad. The knee function of low score group was better than that of high score group.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The intra-articular pressure of knee is an important factor of the knee functional recovery, and its external symptoms of pain can be seen as an important index to forecast the prognosins of knee function in early time.
authors: Department of Orthopaedics, the Third Affiliated Hospital of Wenzhou Medical College, Wenzhou 325200, Zhejiang, China.
authors: Ming-hai
authors: MH
authors: Dai
authors: Cheng-xuan
authors: CX
authors: Tang
authors: Guo-jing
authors: GJ
authors: Yang
authors: Li-cheng
authors: LC
authors: Zhang
authors: Xiao-jun
authors: XJ
authors: Tang
authors: Liang-le
authors: LL
authors: Liu
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D005260:Female; D005264:Femoral Fractures / Q000601:surgery*; D005593:Fracture Fixation, Internal / Q000379:methods*; D006801:Humans; D007719:Knee Joint / Q000503:physiopathology* / Q000601:surgery*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010146:Pain / Q000503:physiopathology*