The Effect of Sensory Deficit After Total Knee Arthroplasty on Patient Satisfaction and Kneeling Ability

BACKGROUND: Skin numbness after total knee arthroplasty is a common complication. The incidence in the literature is variable from 27% to 100%. However, there is conflicting evidence about the consequences of this complication. The purpose of this study was to evaluate if postoperative numbness influenced patient satisfaction or kneeling ability. METHODS: We recruited patients who underwent a total knee arthroplasty for osteoarthritis one to 5 years before the study. Sensation was measured using a Semmes-Weinstein, 10-gram monofilament. Measurements were taken in several zones around the incision, and overall sensory status was classified as full numbness, partial numbness, and no numbness. Patients completed a questionnaire evaluating their subjective numbness, overall satisfaction, and kneeling ability. We evaluated the effect of numbness on satisfaction and function. RESULTS: A total of 96 patients were enrolled. Thirty-four patients were classified as no sensory deficit, 29 as partial deficit, and 33 as full deficit. There were no differences in demographics. Out of all the patients that were found to have a sensory deficit, 54.8% of them did not report any subjective numbness. Average patient-reported satisfaction scores were 8.76/10, 8.97/10, and 8.48/10 for no numbness, partial numbness, and full numbness, respectively. Eleven out of 96 patients noted an inability to kneel. There was no statistical difference for satisfaction scores or kneeling ability between the groups. CONCLUSION: Sensory deficit after total knee arthroplasty is a frequently reported complication. However, the majority of the patients do not report subjective sensory deficits. Postoperative numbness does not appear to affect patient satisfaction or kneeling ability.