Functional outcome of total knee arthroplasty in young rural patients < 50 years of age

Abstract

Background: Total knee arthroplasty (TKA) is one of the most effective surgical interventions for pain relief and functional recovery in young patients with rheumatoid arthritis, ankylosing spondylitis, traumatic arthritis, osteoarthritis knee, hampering the daily activities in life. The encouraging TKA results have prompted a growth in TKA utilisation, particularly in younger patients and a move away from procedures such as osteotomy and UKA which have been associated with higher re-operation rates. Over the last 2 decades there has been an increasing tendency toward the use of TKA in young adults, with some countries reporting a 5-fold increase in the last 10 years. Material and Method: This study was done on the patients who underwent total knee arthroplasty (37) at MGM medical college and hospital, Kamothe, Navi Mumbai. Out of 37 patients, 6 patients did not followed up at regular interval. Only 31 patients were included in the study (18 females and 13 males) fulfilling the inclusion and exclusion criteria. Total 50 knee were included in this study. Results: This study includes 31 cases fulfilling the inclusion and exclusion criteria with total 50 knees undergoing TKA. The mean age was 46.5 years. The functional outcome was calculated using knee society score. The average knee society score was 70.5 after 6 month post TKA while it was 80.5 after 1 year with reduced pain upto 6 month and almost no pain after 1 year. Three patients were seen with MRSA positive results and were operated after been treated with mupirocin. Two patients showed superficial skin infection following TKA.Conclusions: The total knee arthroplasty is one of the most successful and patient satisfactory surgical procedure in young patients relieving pain and daily activities in life as compared to old age patients undergoing TKA. In our study we have seen that it had provided the stability and promising result, by providing back the ability to carried out daily activities by own self after undergoing TKA in young patients who were facing problems in carrying out their daily activities by providing good outcomes as measured by knee society score as compared to older patients undergoing TKA.