Post-operative pain after knee arthroscopy and related factors

• Published in: The open orthopaedics journal Vol. 2; no. 1; pp. 110 - 114
• Main Authors: Drosos, G I, Stavropoulos, N I, Katsis, A, Kesidis, K, Kazakos, K, Verettas, D-A
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: United Arab Emirates Bentham Open 13.06.2008
• ISSN: 1874-3250; 1874-3250
• DOI: 10.2174/1874325000802010110

The aim of this study was to explore the intensity of post-arthroscopy knee pain during the first 24 hours, and to study the influence of pre-operative pain, tourniquet time and amount of surgical trauma on post-arthroscopy pain. In 78 male patients that underwent elective arthroscopic menisectomy or diagnostic arthroscopy of the knee, preoperative and post-operative pain were registered using the Visual Analogue Scale. Variance for repeated measures and for independent observations was analysed. Supplementary analgesia was required for 23% of the patients, more often in the recovery room and between 2 and 8 hours postoperatively. Of all factors analyzed, only time was statistically significant in determining the level of post-operative pain. Supplementary analgesia was required only in patients that underwent operative arthroscopy, and more often in patients with tourniquet time of more than 40 minutes. In conclusions, post-operative time is the most significant factor related to the post-arthroscopy knee pain.