Complications Rates After Total Knee Arthroplasty in Patients With Peripheral Vascular Disease

Area of Science:

• Orthopedic Surgery
• Vascular Surgery
• Public Health

Background:

• Total knee arthroplasty (TKA) is increasingly common due to population aging.
• Peripheral vascular disease (PVD) is a growing concern in patients undergoing TKA.
• Understanding PVD's impact on TKA outcomes is crucial for patient care.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the correlation between PVD and postoperative complications in TKA patients.
• To compare complication rates in TKA patients with and without diagnosed PVD.

Main Methods:

• Retrospective analysis of 11,385 TKA patients aged 50+ from January 2016 to July 2023.
• Patients were divided into two cohorts: TKA with PVD (Group 1) and TKA without PVD (Group 2).
• Chi-squared analysis was used to compare postoperative complication rates between cohorts.

Main Results:

• Patients with PVD had significantly higher rates of venous thromboembolism (VTE) (10.06% vs 5.34%, p < 0.0001).
• Increased incidence of new arrhythmia, pneumonia, delirium, and UTI observed in the PVD cohort (p < 0.001).
• PVD patients experienced a significantly longer length of stay (IRR = 1.31, p < 0.001).

Conclusions:

• History of PVD is associated with increased medical complications and VTE risk after TKA.
• PVD does not significantly impact arthrofibrosis, surgical site infection, or mortality rates post-TKA.
• TKA patients with PVD require closer monitoring for specific postoperative complications and extended care.