Nerve Injuries in Hip and Knee Arthroplasty - Risk Factors, Diagnostic and Therapeutic Approaches

Abstract

Iatrogenic nerve injuries are rare complications of total hip and knee arthroplasty, which may cause chronic pain and loss of function, severely affecting the patient's daily activities and quality of life. Nerves "at risk" include the sciatic nerve, the femoral nerve, the lateral femoral cutaneous nerve and the superior gluteal nerve during total hip arthroplasty, and the infrapatellar branch of the saphenous nerve as well as the peroneal nerve during total knee arthroplasty. Multiple procedure-related and patient-related factors have been identified to modify the risk of nerve injury in the course of lower limb joint replacement surgery. These include the surgeon's skills, the surgical approach, the type of implant fixation, the intraoperative positioning of the patient, as well as pre-existing scars, the patient's sex, age and comorbidities. Diagnostic and therapeutic approaches should be based on the aetiology of the lesion: iatrogenic nerve lesions can result from direct (compression or transection) and/or indirect (traction, ischemia) trauma. The majority of nerve injuries encountered in hip or knee arthroplasty has been referred to as "minor" nerve lesions, which generally respond very well to non-operative treatment. "Major" nerve lesions, such as complete motor nerve transection, may result in lifelong impairment. Any perioperatively encountered neurological deficit requires a meticulous diagnostic work-up and an individually tailored treatment strategy, respecting aetiology and anatomic site of the nerve lesion as well as the individual patient's needs and comorbidities.