Factors influencing UK arthroplasty surgeons' decision-making between total and medial unicompartmental knee surgery: A vignette-based behavioural experiment.

ABSTRACT:

Purpose

Surgical options for end-stage knee osteoarthritis (OA) include total and medial unicompartmental knee replacement (TKR and UKR). Deciding which surgery to perform is complex and ill-defined, yet it has important implications for patients and the health service. The study aimed to identify clinical and surgeon factors predicting surgeons' preferences.

Methods

Based on a preliminary survey of 162 UK surgeons, we identified clinical features frequently considered when deciding between TKR and UKR. By systematically varying patient age, obesity, site of pain, anaesthetic risk and anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) integrity, we constructed 32 clinical vignettes. We used these in a new survey, where surgeons indicated which surgery they would recommend on an 11-point ratin

SUBMITTER: Nurek M 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC11869565 | biostudies-literature | 2025 Jan

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature