Total Knee Arthroplasty Within Six Months After Knee Arthroscopy Is Associated With Increased Postoperative Complications

A national database was queried for patients who underwent TKA following ipsilateral knee arthroscopy. Three cohorts were created: TKA within 6 months of knee arthroscopy (n = 681), TKA between 6 months and 1 year after knee arthroscopy (n = 1301) and TKA between 1 and 2 years after knee arthroscopy (n = 1069). An age-matched control group of TKA without prior knee arthroscopy was also created (n = 37,235). The incidences of infection (OR 2.0, P = 0.004), stiffness (OR 2.0, P = 0.001) and VTE (OR 1.6, P = 0.047) were higher in patients who underwent TKA within 6 months after knee arthroscopy compared to controls. There was no increase in complications when TKA was performed more than six months after knee arthroscopy.