[Factors related to anterior knee pain after total knee arthroplasty].

Objective: To investigate the incidence rate of anterior knee pain after total knee arthroplasty (TKA) and identify the related factors.

Methods: This prospective, double-blind clinical trial involved a total of 128 patients scheduled for primary ipsilateral cemented three-component TKA for osteoarthrosis. The patients were randomized into two groups to receive operations for TKA with patellar resurfacing (experimental group) or not (control). The incidence of anterior knee pain was observed in these patients and the factor affecting the occurrence of anterior knee pain and knee was analyzed.

Results: The patients were followed up for a mean of 16.5 months (range 6~24 months). The incidence rate of anterior knee pain was 10.9% (7/64) in the experimental group, showing no significant difference from the rate of 14.1% (9/64) in the control group. But the 52 patients with varus or valgus knee showed a significantly higher incidence rate of anterior knee pain (21.2%, 11/52).

Conclusion: TKA with patellar resurfacing can not decrease the incidence of anterior knee pain, and varus or valgus before the operation is associated with a higher risk of anterior knee pain.