Surgery Satisfaction in Knee and Hip Surgeries

Has anyone asked you after surgery how you felt about the whole process?  Often, patients do not want to criticize their physician and are not totally honest about their quality of life after surgery and their fatigue. A 2001 study was done to give a more detailed account of recovery from the patient’s perspective. The authors of the study sought to answer two questions: Does knee replacement provide the patient with the same type of benefit as hip replacement?  Is prolonged fatigue an avoidable consequence of major surgery? 

The study was done at a university teaching center in the United Kingdom. Anesthesia for both hip and knee surgery were similar as was pain relief medication after surgery. Patients underwent physical therapy and by discharge walked independently using an aid. Questionnaires were administered on postoperative days 1, 3, and 7 and again by a research nurse at 1 and 6 months. Patients were asked about their ability to function, fatigue, mood, role limitation, and general perception of health.

Hip patients were found to have speedier recoveries than knee patients. Knee patients reported greater pain than did hip patients. At 6 months, knee patients were more impaired than hip patients. Hip and knee patients were satisfied with their surgeries. Function for both hip and knee patients were similar. Knee patients perceived more fatigue than did hip patients, although there were more knee patients who had rheumatoid arthritis.

Informing a patient of realistic expectations for recovery may reduce dissatisfaction and unrealistic expectations after surgery. Consequently, there is no comparison in hip and knee surgery recovery. Both hip and knee patients were satisfied with the outcome of surgery, but the knee patients had poorer function. The study found fatigue up to three days after surgery for both hip and knee patients, but by seven days the patients had returned to pre-surgery status. 

For further information: “Recovery from Hip and Knee Arthroplasty: Patients’ Perspective on Pain, Function, Quality of Life, and Well-Being up to 6 Months Postoperatively,” P. Salmon Dphil, FBPsS; G. Hall, PhD, FRCA; D. Peerbhoy, BSc; A. Shenkin, PhD, FRCP, FRCpath; C. Parker, MD, FRCA; Archives of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, volume 82, issue 3, p. 360-366, March 2001.