Early resumption of driving within 3 weeks following patient-specific instrumented total knee arthroplasty: an evaluation of 160 cases

Abstract

ObjectivesMost patients want to resume normal activities as soon as possible after total knee arthroplasty (TKA), with driving an integral aspect to re-establish social and recreational independence. This study aimed to determine when patients resumed driving after TKA.MethodsAll patients undergoing patient-specific instrumented (PSI) medial pivot TKA between January 2017 and April 2018 were included. Patients who did not drive were excluded. A detailed questionnaire was sent to patients 2 weeks after surgery to record their driving status. 50 patients were randomly selected to assess flexion at the hip, knee and ankle joints while seated in the driver’s seat of their own vehicle.Results160 patients (female=94 and male=66) with a mean age of 68 years (45–90 years) underwent a PSI TKA (left side [L]=75, right side [R]=85). 73% patients returned to driving within the first 3 weeks after surgery, of which 15 (10%) resumed driving within the first postoperative week, 52 (35%) in the second week and 41 (28%) in the third week. The median time to resume driving following surgery was 3 weeks for both operative sides, with IQR of 2.0 (L) and 1.0 (R).ConclusionA majority of patients resume driving within 3 weeks after undergoing a PSI TKA, regardless of operative side or transmission of vehicle.Level of evidenceIV