Noise, numbness, and kneeling difficulties after total knee arthroplasty: is the outcome affected?

The sensation of numbness, prosthesis noise production, and kneeling difficulties are generally considered, by most surgeons, minor issues after total knee arthroplasty, but their frequency and relationship to patient expectations and satisfaction have been seldom described. We analyzed 49 patient responses to both an Oxford Knee Score and a separate questionnaire with specific questions about numbness, kneeling, and noise. Of these patients, 69% reported noise production, 71% reported numbness, and 82% reported kneeling difficulties. The mean scores for the magnitude of numbness and kneeling difficulties improved between the time frames of less than 6 months and more than 6 months postoperation, whereas noise scores worsened. None of these changes were statistically significant at the 5% level. Combinations of these issues do affect patient satisfaction and are greater for patients more than 6 months postoperation. A preoperative patient education program, informing patients about these issues, may improve patient satisfaction.