Qual rTKR
Research type
Research Study
Full title
A qualitative research study to explore patient and surgeon considerations for revision knee replacement for unexplained chronic pain
IRAS ID
307265
Contact name
Shiraz Sabah
Contact email
Sponsor organisation
University of Oxford / Research Governance, Ethics and Assurance
Duration of Study in the UK
0 years, 11 months, 28 days
Research summary
Around one-in-every-five patients reports chronic pain following knee replacement surgery. Many of these patients seek medical help, which prompts the search for a diagnosis to explain their symptoms. However, for a large proportion of patients, no cause is ever found and the pain is said to be ‘unexplained’. In this situation, current guidelines recommend initial supportive treatment (for example, with physiotherapy or pain management). Recent evidence suggests around two-thirds of patients will improve with this treatment. However, the remaining one-third of patients remain the same or are worse off. For these patients, the best treatment option is not known, and some patients request a surgical solution. However, surgery to revise a knee replacement for chronic pain is controversial. The surgery itself may be complex and carry a high risk of complications, whilst the odds of an improvement in symptoms are only about 50/50. Our understanding of the important considerations when deciding whether or not to operate for chronic pain are very limited. The aim of this study is to gain a deeper understanding of these considerations from the perspectives of both patients and surgeons. This study will involve interviews with patients and surgeons, which will take place either over the telephone, via videoconference [using Microsoft Teams] or in-person. These interviews will be audio recorded and analysed using qualitative research methods. This study will benefit patients and surgeons in the future by providing information on the considerations that should be borne in mind when faced with the clinical dilemma of whether to offer revision surgery to treat chronic pain after knee replacement.
REC name
Wales REC 4
REC reference
22/WA/0090
Date of REC Opinion
12 Apr 2022
REC opinion
Favourable Opinion