Results of Peri-articular Steroid Injection in the Treatment of Chronic Extra-articular Pain After Total Knee Arthroplasty

Objective: The authors conducted study to analyze results of peri-articular steroid injection in the treatment of chronic pain from soft tissue inflammation after total knee arthroplasty (TKA).

Material And Method: The authors retrieved data from all patients underwent TKA whom suffered with chronic extra-articular pain and received local peri-articular steroid injection by 2 senior authors during January 1, 2008 to June 30, 2010. Clinical evaluation such as pain score, knee score and functional score were recorded pre-injection and three months after injection.

Results: 554 TKA cases were operated during January 1, 2008 and June 30, 2010. 29 knees from 28 female patients were injected with steroid injection and included in the present study. Mean age of 64.7 year and mean BMI of 27.7. Three patients in this group were diagnoses as Diabetes. The most common site of injection was in Tibia, with either Anserinus bursa or around Gerdy's tubercle. Mean time to injection after operation was 5 months. Mean VAS was reduced from 56.5 +/- 20.32 to 20.57 +/- 16.1. Mean knee score and functional score were improved from 74.62 +/- 14.24 to 85.71 +/- 11.85 and from 53.4 +/- 22.57 to 67.04 +/- 21.17 consecutively. All clinical difference has statistically significant with p-value < 0.05. There was no incident of superficial or deep infection at mean follow-up time of 2 years and 5 months.

Conclusion: Local steroid injection is a safe and effective choice for treatment of pain from chronic soft tissue inflammation after TKA.