Primary Total Knee Arthroplasty: How Does Residual Patellar Thickness Affect Patient-Oriented Outcomes?

Area of Science:

• Orthopedic Surgery
• Biomedical Engineering
• Rehabilitation Science

Background:

• Patellar thickness is crucial for successful total knee arthroplasty (TKA) outcomes.
• Understanding the impact of patellar thickness changes on patient-perceived outcomes (PPOs) is essential.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the effects of altered patellar thickness on PPOs after TKA.
• To determine if reestablishing native patellar thickness improves patient outcomes.

Main Methods:

• 819 patients undergoing primary TKA were analyzed.
• Patients were grouped by postoperative patellar thickness relative to native thickness.
• Range of motion (ROM), PPOs, and clinical scores were assessed, with statistical analysis using MANCOVA.

Main Results:

• No significant differences in ROM were observed across groups.
• Patients with patellar thickness equal to native thickness reported better quality of life and physical scores.
• Restoring native thickness showed the greatest improvements in quality of life and physical function.

Conclusions:

• Postoperative patellar thickness within -1.06 to 2.58 mm of native thickness yields satisfactory results.
• Patellar thickness does not appear to significantly affect ROM post-TKA.
• Achieving native patellar thickness is linked to superior patient-perceived outcomes and functional recovery.