Trainee performed total knee arthroplasty is safe and effective: A systematic review and meta-analysis comparing outcomes between trainees and consultants

There are concerns that trainee performed knee arthroplasty (KA) may adversely affect patient outcomes. Demand for KA is projected to increase, and trainees must therefore be competent to perform it.

A systematic literature search was performed identifying articles comparing outcomes following trainee versus consultant surgeon performed primary KA. Outcomes included rate of revision surgery, rate of infection, operation time, length of stay and functional outcomes. A meta-analysis was conducted using Odds ratios (ORs) and weighted mean differences (WMD). A quality assessment of studies and qualitative analysis was performed.

The analysis included 9 studies of 92,309 arthroplasties, 80,655 were performed by consultants, 11,654 by trainees. The mean age was 69.2. There was no significant difference between the two groups’ rate of revision (OR 0.79; 95% CI 0.61–1.02; p = 0.07. Trainees were associated with a lower rate of infection (5 studies; OR 0.75; 95% CI 0.58–0.97; p = 0.03). There was no difference in the rate of neurological deficit, transfusion rate or thrombosis. There was no difference in operation time (5 studies; WMD 3.50; 95% CI −3.9–10.89; p = 0.35). The trainee group had less favourable functional outcome scores (7 studies; WMD −1.26; 95% CI −1.44–−1.07; p < 0.01). However, this difference was not clinically significant.

The study suggests that supervised trainees can achieve similar outcomes to consultant surgeons and in selected cases, trainee performed supervised KA is therefore safe and effective.