The Patient’s Perception Does Not Differ Following Subvastus and Medial Parapatellar Approaches in Total Knee Arthroplasty: A Simultaneous Bilateral Randomized Study

This simultaneous bilateral randomized study investigated whether patients would perceive the difference between the subvastus approach (SVA) and the medial parapatellar approach (MPA) after total knee arthroplasty (TKA). In 50 patients scheduled to undergo same-day bilateral TKA, one knee was randomly assigned to SVA and the other to MPA. Patient-reported measures (pain, Western Ontario McMaster University Osteoarthritis Index score, and side preference) and physician-assessed measures (isokinetic muscle strength, range of motion, and Knee Society score) were compared. No differences were observed in the patient-reported measures and physician-assessed measures, with the exception of greater quadriceps strength at postoperative 1 week in knees that underwent SVA. Patients receiving contemporary perioperative management after same-day bilateral TKA do not perceive any difference between knees that underwent SVA or MPA.