The Effects of Surgical Wait Time on Function, Pain and Health Related Quality of Life in Patients Awaiting Knee Arthroplasty: a Prospective Multicenter Cohort Study

Osteoarthritis (OA) is a common condition, leading to pain and disability. The knee is the most affected joint, accounting for almost 80 percent of the total prevalence of OA. The pooled global prevalence of knee OA is 22.9% in individuals aged 40 and over. Correspondingly, there are around 654.1 million individuals with knee OA in 2020 worldwide. The number of people affected with symptomatic knee OA is likely to increase because of the aging population and the obesity epidemic.

Pain is the most important symptom in knee OA. It is intermittent, typically weight bearing and progressive over time. Additional symptoms are crepitus, swelling and morning stiffness. The knee is often swollen and has diminished range of motion (ROM). Not only does OA lead to functional disability, but also influences social participation and quality of life.

Knee OA is a progressive disease, which requires continuous management. Treatment consists of conservative as well as invasive treatments, as described in national and international guidelines. First line treatments are patient education, physical therapy, weight loss, different pharmacological treatments and intra-articular steroid injections. More advanced OA may require surgery. Knee arthroplasty, (total knee arthroplasty (TKA) or partial knee arthroplasty (PKA)) can provide excellent pain relief, remarkable deformity correction, and satisfactory functional recovery.

Since the beginning of the covid19 pandemic, surgeons have been asked to only perform essential surgeries in order to preserve healthcare resources. This has led to an increase in patients on the waiting list, resulting in unusually high wait times. Despite the decrease in covid related healthcare consumption, waiting times are yet to return to pre-covid duration. Currently, time to surgery in our hospital is approximately 7 months as opposed to 2-3 months pre-covid.

Long wait times may be a substantial burden for patients. There have been reports of worsening pain, deterioration in quality of life and increased opioid use and frailty. The effects on pain catastrophizing, fear and anxiety have not yet been studied.