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Comparing Patient Outcomes After THA and TKA: Is There a Difference?

  • Symposium: Papers Presented at the Hip Society Meetings 2009
  • Published:
Clinical Orthopaedics and Related Research®

Abstract

Both primary total hip (THA) and knee (TKA) arthroplasty relieve pain, restore function, and increase mobility. Despite these successes, there is controversy as to whether THA or TKA provides greater or similar improvement. We therefore compared primary THA and TKA patient results in terms of (1) willingness to have surgery again; (2) WOMAC change score; (3) whether expectations were met; and (4) satisfaction. Patients undergoing primary THA were more willing to undergo their surgery again (THA 96%, TKA 89%), demonstrated greater WOMAC change scores, more frequently reported their expectations were met (THA 78%, TKA 70%), and expressed greater overall satisfaction (THA 89%, TKA 81%). In addition, patients undergoing THA expressed higher satisfaction with pain reduction while performing activities (ie, walking, stairs, and sitting/lying) and their ability to perform daily activities (ie, stairs, transportation, getting up, lying in bed, and light domestic duties) when compared with patients undergoing TKA. Our data suggest primary THA offers superior short-term outcomes when compared with primary TKA.

Level of Evidence: Level II, prognostic study. See Guidelines for Authors for a complete description of levels of evidence.

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Acknowledgments

We thank Mrs Susan Warner, Managing Director of the Ontario Joint Replacement Registry, and the Ontario orthopaedic surgeons who participated in the Ontario Joint Replacement Registry.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Division of Orthopaedic Surgery, University Hospital, London Health Sciences Centre, University of Western Ontario, 339 Windermere Road, London, ON, N6A 5A5, Canada

    Robert B. Bourne MD, FRCSC, Bert Chesworth PhD, Aileen Davis PhD, Nizar Mahomed MD, FRCSC & Kory Charron DipMET

Authors
  1. Robert B. Bourne MD, FRCSC
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  2. Bert Chesworth PhD
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  3. Aileen Davis PhD
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  4. Nizar Mahomed MD, FRCSC
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  5. Kory Charron DipMET
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Robert B. Bourne MD, FRCSC.

Additional information

One or more of the authors (RBB, BC, AD, NM, KC) have received research funding but no personal financial support from the Ontario Ministry of Health and Long Term Care.

Each author certifies that his or her institution has approved the reporting of these cases, that all investigations were conducted in conformity with ethical principles of research, and that informed consent for participating in the study was obtained.

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Bourne, R.B., Chesworth, B., Davis, A. et al. Comparing Patient Outcomes After THA and TKA: Is There a Difference?. Clin Orthop Relat Res 468, 542–546 (2010). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11999-009-1046-9

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11999-009-1046-9

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