title: Do patients care about higher flexion in total knee arthroplasty? A randomized, controlled, double-blinded trial.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Little information exists to support that patients care about flexion beyond what is needed to perform activities of daily living (ADL) after Total knee arthroplasty (TKA). The purpose of this study was to investigate if the achievement of a higher degree of knee flexion after TKA would result in a better patient perceived outcome.
  
  
  METHODS
  The study is a randomized, double-blinded, controlled trial in which 36 patients (mean age: 67.2 yrs) undergoing one-stage bilateral TKA randomly received a standard cruciate-retaining (CR) TKA in one knee and a high-flex posterior-stabilized (PS) TKA in the contra lateral knee. At follow-up ROM, satisfaction, pain, "feel" of the knee and the abilities in daily activities were assessed.
  
  
  RESULTS
  At 1-year follow-up we found an expected significantly higher degree of knee flexion of 7° in the high-flex knees (p = 0.001). The high-flex TKA's showed a mean active flexion of 121°. In both TKA's the median VAS pain score was 0, the median VAS satisfaction score was 9, and the median VAS score of the patient "feel" of the knee was 9 at 1-year follow-up. Further, there were no significant differences between the knees in the performance of daily activities.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  As expected the high-flex TKA showed increased knee flexion, but no significant differences in the patient perceived outcomes were found. This suggests little relevance to the patients of the difference in knee flexion - when flexion is of this magnitude - as pain free ROM and high patient satisfaction were achieved with both TKA's.
  
  
  BACKGROUND
  ClinicalTrials.gov: NCT00294528.
authors.affiliation: Department of Orthopedics, University Hospital of Hvidovre, Hvidovre, Denmark. morten@grovethomsen.dk
authors.forename: Morten G
authors.initials: MG
authors.lastname: Thomsen
authors.forename: Henrik
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Husted
authors.forename: Kristian S
authors.initials: KS
authors.lastname: Otte
authors.forename: Gitte
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Holm
authors.forename: Anders
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Troelsen
mesh_terms: D000203:Activities of Daily Living / Q000523:psychology*; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D019645:Arthroplasty, Replacement, Knee / Q000523:psychology* / Q000639:trends; D004311:Double-Blind Method; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D007719:Knee Joint / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000601:surgery; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D017060:Patient Satisfaction; D011446:Prospective Studies; D011859:Radiography; D016059:Range of Motion, Articular / Q000502:physiology*; D016896:Treatment Outcome
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