A recent HSS study found that patients preparing for total knee arthroplasty (TKA) generally have high expectations for surgery, with nearly three-quarters expecting improvement in at least 15 of 19 areas assessed, including pain relief, daily activities and psychological well-being. Expectations have long been recognized as an important factor in patient satisfaction after TKA. Despite advances in implant design and surgical technique, previous research has shown that up to one in five patients remains dissatisfied following surgery, often because their expectations are not fully met.

HSS researchers found that patients form these expectations from a variety of sources, often drawing on more than one. The most common influence was hearing about successful outcomes from friends, family members or others who had undergone knee replacement. Patients also cited their own positive experiences with past orthopedic procedures, conversations with their surgeon, information they found online and a general sense of optimism about their recovery.

The findings suggest that expectations before knee replacement are shaped not only by medical information, but also by personal experiences, social networks and mindset. By better understanding where patients’ expectations come from, clinicians may be able to have more meaningful conversations before surgery and help patients develop realistic expectations about recovery and outcomes.

This prospective preoperative cohort included 232 patients who completed a validated 19-item expectations survey, the Knee injury and Osteoarthritis Outcome Score-Joint Replacement (KOOS-JR), and the Positive and Negative Affect Schedule (PANAS). 

Read the full article at ovid.com.