Abstract
Introduction Total knee replacement (TKR) significantly increased among the population in recent decades, and it shows great variation in its study and technique in different countries. There is no registered Chilean data to assess TKR implementation.
Objective To record the trends in TKR in different aspects within Chile and compare them with records from other countries.
Materials and Methods We conducted an email survey among knee surgeons in Chile considering four aspects: general features, preoperative study, surgical technique, and cementation technique. We excluded surveys not completed in full. The analyses included overall data and data per years of experience (YOEs), and we compared the results with those of international studies.
Results We obtained 87 complete surveys. Most respondents performed 25 to 50 TKRs each year (44%), with only 16% performing over 75 TKRs. Only 20% used the ambulatory modality, while 43% believed patients always require hospitalization (especially surgeons with more than 10 YOEs). Robotic systems were used by 18% of the surgeons, especially those with more than 10 YOEs; the most used systems were ROSA and CORI. In total 90% of the respondents believed TKR should be part of the Explicit Health Guarantees (Garantías Explícitas de Salud, GES, in Spanish) program, with no differences in terms of YOEs. A total of 81% used the posterior-stabilized (PS) system, 96% performed a medial parapatellar approach, 82% used an extramedullary tibial guide, 41% tended to replace the patella, and 35% did not use a tourniquet (none of the variables showed differences according to YOEs). Only 31% used vacuum cementation (with a higher frequency in the group with fewer than 10 YOEs), 95% placed cement on components and bone, 75% placed it in the keel, and 56% used finger packing (only 22% with a gun). The most common cementation sequence was tibia-femur-patella. In most aspects evaluated, we observed important differences compared with studies from other countries.
Conclusion There is a high variability in the performance of TKR in Chile, with different trends compared with those of other countries. Overall, there are no major differences in the surgical technique concerning YOEs, although there is variation in the cementation technique and the use of robotic systems.
Keywords
total knee replacement - national survey - surgical technique - cementation technique
