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Effectiveness of Minimally Invasive Total Knee Replacement in Improving Rehabilitation and Function

University of Colorado Denver (CU Denver) logo

University of Colorado Denver (CU Denver)

Status and phase

Completed
Phase 2

Conditions

Osteoarthritis

Treatments

Procedure: Total Knee Arthroplasty (TKA) Traditional
Procedure: Minimally Invasive Total Knee Arthroplasty [TKA Min]

Study type

Interventional

Funder types

Other
NIH

Identifiers

NCT00710840
06-0183
1R03AR054538-01A2 (U.S. NIH Grant/Contract)
R03AR054538 (U.S. NIH Grant/Contract)

Details and patient eligibility

About

Osteoarthritis (OA) is a long-term degenerative joint disease that disables about 10% of people over the age of 60 and compromises the quality of life of more than 20 million Americans. A procedure called total knee arthroplasty (TKA), in which the affected surface of the knee joint is replaced by plastic or metal, has been successful in restoring comfort and mobility to formerly arthritic joints. This study will compare quadriceps muscle strength, knee range of motion, and pain in people who have had a traditional TKA with those who have had a minimally invasive TKA.

Full description

More than 400,000 TKAs are performed each year in the United States to alleviate pain and disability associated with knee OA. Although this procedure reliably reduces pain and improves function in people with knee OA, recovery of the strength of the quadriceps muscle to normal levels is rare. For years after a TKA, performance while walking or while doing a more physically demanding activity, such as stair climbing, is also significantly lower in people who have had a TKA than in healthy adults of the same age. Within the past few years, less invasive TKA surgical techniques have been developed as promising alternatives to traditional TKA. Minimally invasive TKA, or TKA(min), achieves the same surgical objectives, but possibly without doing as much damage to the quadriceps muscle as is seen with traditional TKA. No studies, however, have specifically investigated how TKA(min) might preserve quadriceps muscle function. This study will determine whether TKA(min) is better than TKA at improving quadriceps muscle force production and activation, increasing knee range of motion, and reducing post-operative pain to improve overall functional outcomes.

Participants who are scheduled to undergo knee replacement surgery will be randomly assigned to receive either traditional TKA or TKA(min). Prior to surgery, participants will attend a 30-minute orientation session and undergo certain tests to evaluate knee function. Functional testing will include timed walking, stair climbing, balance testing, and knee flexibility measurements. Other evaluations will include thigh muscle strength and activation testing, which uses brief electrical pulses to determine if the muscles are contracted as much as possible, and health status questionnaires. After the operation, participants will be instructed to use walking aids, such as a walker, crutches, or a cane, for a period of time. Participants will attend study visits for repeat testing 48 hours following surgery; at Months 1, 3, and 6; and at Years 1 and 2.

Enrollment

44 patients

Sex

All

Ages

50 to 85 years old

Volunteers

No Healthy Volunteers

Inclusion criteria

  • Diagnosis of osteoarthritis
  • Eligible for a unilateral or bilateral primary TKA to be performed by Dr. Michael Dayton (University of Colorado Hospital)
  • Minimum of 110 degrees of active knee flexion
  • No greater than 10 degrees of anatomic knee varus, 15 degrees anatomic valgus, and 10 degrees flexion contracture
  • Body mass index less ≤ 40 kg/m2

Exclusion criteria

  • Any brain, circulation, or heart problems that limit function
  • Severe osteoarthritis or other orthopedic conditions that limit function in the lower extremity that is not undergoing the TKA

Trial design

Primary purpose

Treatment

Allocation

Randomized

Interventional model

Parallel Assignment

Masking

None (Open label)

44 participants in 2 patient groups

1
Experimental group
Treatment:
Procedure: Minimally Invasive Total Knee Arthroplasty [TKA Min]
2
Active Comparator group
Treatment:
Procedure: Total Knee Arthroplasty (TKA) Traditional

Trial contacts and locations

3

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Data sourced from clinicaltrials.gov

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