Simultaneous bilateral total knee arthroplasty may be safe in selected patients

Area of Science:

• Orthopedic Surgery
• Arthroplasty
• Patient Safety

Background:

• Simultaneous bilateral total knee arthroplasty (TKA) offers benefits like single anesthesia and reduced costs.
• Concerns exist regarding the safety of simultaneous bilateral TKA compared to staged procedures.

Purpose of the Study:

• To compare perioperative outcomes between simultaneous and staged bilateral TKA.
• To evaluate the safety of simultaneous bilateral TKA in different age groups.

Main Methods:

• Retrospective analysis of 1696 patients (3392 knees) undergoing simultaneous or staged TKA.
• Comparison of major and minor complications within 90 days post-procedure.

Main Results:

• Overall complication rates were similar between simultaneous (17.3%) and staged (17.9%) TKA.
• Adjusted analysis revealed a higher complication risk in the simultaneous group.
• Simultaneous TKA showed no increased risk in patients <65 years, but nearly doubled risk in patients >70 years.

Conclusions:

• Simultaneous bilateral TKA increases complication risk, particularly in patients over 70.
• Bilateral TKA can be safely performed simultaneously in patients younger than 65.
• Patients aged 65-70 considering simultaneous TKA require a discussion of the slightly elevated risks.