Rate and Predictors of Patient Satisfaction After Total Joint Arthroplasty: A Cross-Sectional Study in a Low-to-Middle-Income Country.

Abstract

Objective This study aimed to assess the rate of patient satisfaction after primary total joint arthroplasty (TJA) using a validated satisfaction measure. Materials and methods A cross-sectional study was conducted, including all patients who underwent primary TJA between December 2021 and February 2023. The age of the study population was found to range from 23 to 86 years. Patient satisfaction was assessed using a validated tool comprising four questions and a quality of life (QoL) question. Results A total of 197 patients were included, with a mean age of 60.9 ± 12.7 years. Total knee replacement (TKR)was performed in 124 patients (62.9%), andtotal hip replacement (THR) in 73 patients (37.1%). The mean patient satisfaction score was 86.6 ± 14.4 out of a maximum of 100. A significant negative correlation was observed between the Charlson Comorbidity Index (CCI) and the overall satisfaction score (p-value = 0.029). The majority of the patients (52.3%, n = 103) answered that their QoL had greatly improved, and a similar level of improvement was noted in elderly vs. adult patients (p-value = 0.17). A significantly higher proportion of male patients reported improvement more than they ever expected compared to female patients, the majority of whom reported their QoL was greatly improved (p-value = 0.025). Conclusion Total joint arthroplasty has been shown to achieve good patient satisfaction and an improvement in QoL. However, an increased comorbidity index and female gender were identified as factors for reduced satisfaction. Hence, it is recommended to consider these factors and counsel patients accordingly based on local patient data.