Primary Knee Symposium: Biomechanical Considerations in the Knee

Achieving Painless TKA - Kirby Hitt, MD

Dr. Hitt believes pain management is different for knees and hips. He asserted that knee replacement requires a multimodal approach applied to the preoperative, perioperative, and postoperative period. In his practice, pain after surgery and length of recovery are the most common patient concerns prior to surgery and reasons for delaying surgery.

He emphasized the importance of reviewing realistic expectations with the patient and explaining the patient's role. He feels that decreased anxiety decreases pain and that unrealistic preoperative expectations of recovery (with regard to both pain and function) results in high levels of dissatisfaction.

Dr. Hitt then reviewed the two types of pain: neurogenic and inflammatory. PSlide A He discussed preemptive analgesia PSlide B, post-operative pain control PSlide C.

The remainder of the presentation focused on Dr. Hitt's pain protocol. PSlide D PSlide E PSlide F PSlide G PSlide H