Is there an increased risk of complications in patients diagnosed with COVID-19 six months before total knee arthroplasty?

Abstract

We aimed to compare the risk of developing complications between patients who had long-term COVID-19 and those who did not. This is a retrospective study involving a total of 265 patients who had undergone total knee arthroplasty surgery. A cohort of patients (Group 1) who had been diagnosed with COVID-19 six months prior to total knee arthroplasty was established and matched to a cohort of patients who had never been diagnosed with COVID-19 (Group 2). Demographic information such as age and gender, underlying diseases, postoperative complications (surgical site infection, wound problem, periprosthetic fracture, deep vein thrombosis, pulmonary thromboembolism, hematoma, pneumonia, urinary tract infection) and exitus were recorded. Of the 265 patients, 217 (81.9%) were females and 48 (18.1%) were males. 41 of these patients (15.5%)previously had COVID-19 (Group 1). The number of people who did not have COVID-19 was 224 (84.5%) (Group 2). There was no difference between group 1 and group 2 in terms of complications. This study found that the rate of complications, including deep vein thrombosis, in patients who had COVID-19 six months before total knee arthroplasty was not higher than those who did not.