Changes in Patient Satisfaction Following Total Joint Arthroplasty

Area of Science:

• Orthopedic surgery
• Patient-reported outcomes
• Arthroplasty outcomes

Background:

• Patient satisfaction is a key outcome measure following total hip arthroplasty (THA) and total knee arthroplasty (TKA).
• Understanding changes in satisfaction over time and associated factors is crucial for optimizing patient care and surgical outcomes.

Purpose of the Study:

• To assess the change in patient satisfaction from 1 to 3 years after THA and TKA.
• To identify preoperative variables associated with patient satisfaction levels in THA and TKA recipients.

Main Methods:

• Prospective data from 919 THA and 450 TKA patients across two international multicenter studies.
• Patient satisfaction measured using a 10-point numerical rating scale at 1- and 3-year follow-ups.
• Linear mixed-effects models employed to analyze factors influencing satisfaction.

Main Results:

• For THA, lower preoperative joint space width, pain from other joints, and poorer health state were linked to decreased satisfaction. Patients with preoperative anxiety/depression showed improved satisfaction.
• For TKA, anterior tibial slope, greater femoral valgus angle, less severe osteoarthritis, and lower preoperative health state correlated with lower satisfaction. Anterior tibial slope also predicted satisfaction improvement over time.

Conclusions:

• Patient satisfaction following THA and TKA generally shows minimal change between 1 and 3 years post-procedure.
• Findings can inform preoperative patient counseling and guide decisions on postoperative follow-up intervals.