Relationship between patients in hospital affects recovery from total knee arthroplasty (TKA)-A prospective study

The interaction between patients is rather important source of information about surgery and recovery. Patients always prefer particularly to compare themselves with others of relatively similar ability, opinion and situation. Exploration of patients' dyads, however, is rare and needs further elaboration as to the significance of fellow patients. This study was designed to determine in whether and how preoperative assignment affects TKA's results.

We assessed early post-operative outcomes in a cohort of 520 TKA patients. Preoperative, and postoperative outcome measures at 6-months following TKA were analyzed and compared between patients who were hospitalized with a roommate whose surgical status was either similar (preoperative) or dissimilar (postoperative) and whose type of surgery was either similar (TKA) or dissimilar (THA). Mean scores, and postoperative change in scores were calculated. Outcome measures evaluated included WOMAC, SF-36, patient affiliation, preoperative anxiety, expectation and analgesic consumption, length of hospital stay.

patients were more willing to have serious conversations with roommates whose surgical status was dissimilar (postoperative) and whose type of surgery was similar (TKA). And their SF-36 and WOMAC scores to be significantly improved better. Besides, they were released from hospital more quickly and showed significantly less preoperative anxiety.

We recommend implementation of an assignment policy that patients prior to TKA should be assigned into a postoperative roommate undergoing TKA as well.