Manual Lymphatic Drainage Following Total Knee Arthroplasty Surgery

Not Applicable

Completed

Conditions: Knee Arthroplasty, Total

Interventions: Other: relaxation
Other: Manual lymphatic drainage

Registration Number: NCT00711711

Lead Sponsor: Haute Ecole de Santé Vaud

Brief Summary: The purpose of this study is to evaluate the efficiency of manual lymphatic drainage to decrease the swelling of the knee after total knee replacement surgery

Detailed Description: Background There is scientific evidence that rehabilitation has a positive influence on patients'recovery after total knee arthroplasty (TKA). According to the literature, conventional rehabilitation aims to improve knee range of motion, lower limb strength, gait, activities and pain. Although swelling is a systematic consequence of TKA surgery, less focus is put on swelling reduction. Patients develop swelling due to periarticular edema, hematoma and joint effusion. Inflammation, pain, stiffness, alteration of gait pattern, quadriceps contraction inhibition and slowing of rehabilitation are reported as consequences of swelling. Accordingly, it is likely that a therapy that would promote resorption of swelling would decrease the negative impact of swelling on patients'recovery. Manual lymph drainage (MLD) could possibly accelerate edema resorption after TKA surgery. Several authors advise MLD after TKA, and physiotherapists currently apply MLD to reduce postsurgical swelling. Its positive effect on chronic lymphedema resorption is largely accepted. Results on pain and range of motion seem interesting from an empirical point of view but, to our knowledge, no scientifically driven studies have confirmed these positive effects after orthopaedic surgery.

Aim This study aims to evaluate the effect of MLD on swelling, and parameters possibly influenced by swelling (pain, knee range of motion, knee objective and subjective function and gait pattern).

Methods This study is a randomized controlled clinical trial. Patients will be blinded from goals of the treatments and evaluators will be blinded from the treatment delivered to the patient. The effects of MLD (5 treatments of 30 minutes from the second to the eighth postsurgical day) will be compared to those of a placebo (relaxation sessions). MLD or placebo will be added to the conventional rehabilitation program of our Orthopaedic Department. Assessments will be conducted one day before surgery, two days, 8 days and 3 months after surgery. Evolution and differences between groups will be statistically assessed at each step.

Significance This project aims to improve knowledge on the efficiency of rehabilitation treatments following TKA. It will contribute to effective evaluation of the effects of a widely applied treatment. The results will help physiotherapists and medical doctors to take clinical decisions based on documented evidence. This will make a contribution to better quality of care and better allocation of resources to rehabilitation.

Recruitment & Eligibility

Status: COMPLETED

Sex: All

Target Recruitment: 60

Inclusion Criteria

knee replacement surgery

Exclusion Criteria

pacemaker
cardiac defibrillator
pathology of the lymphatic system
lower limb impairment which interferes with gait
neurological disease
unability to understand patient information letter or to give informed consent
unability to understand and complete questionnaires in French
contraindication to manual lymphatic drainage : thrombosis, infection, right cardiac insufficiency, active cancer
non standard knee replacement surgery
high dose anticoagulation
post surgical complication

Study & Design

Study Type: INTERVENTIONAL

Study Design: PARALLEL

Arm && Interventions

Group	Intervention	Description
Relaxation	relaxation	This arm will receive 5 relaxation treatments from day 2 to day 7 post surgery
Manual lymphatic drainage	Manual lymphatic drainage	this arm will receive 5 manual lymphatic drainage treatments from day 2 to day 7 post surgery

Primary Outcome Measures

Name	Time	Method
Bioimpedance Percentage Difference Healthy/Operated	presurgery, 2 days, 7 days and 3 months post surgery	The bioimpedance, i.e. a measurement in ohms of the opposition to current flow between electrodes was evaluated for each limb. Then the bioimpedance percentage difference between operated and healthy limb was calculated.
Lower Limb Volume Percentage Difference Operated/Healthy	presurgery, and 2 days, 7 days and 3 months after surgery	The limb volume was evaluated for each limb using circumferential tape measurements at 4 cm intervals. Then the tape measurementy were converted into limb volume using the validated truncated-cone method, and the percentage difference between the operated and the healthy limb was calculated.

Secondary Outcome Measures

Name	Time	Method

Trial Locations

Locations (2): Département de l'Appareil Locomoteur - CHUV
🇨🇭
Lausanne, Switzerland
Haute Ecole Cantonale Vaudoise de Santé
🇨🇭
Lausanne, Switzerland