Patients Requiring Manipulation Under Anesthesia After Total Knee Arthroplasty Have Higher Rates of Preoperative Depression

Arthrofi brosis is a complication after total knee arthroplasty (TKA) that can limit functionality and cause dissatisfaction. This study assesses the prevalence of preoperative depressive symptoms amongst patients who required manipulation under anesthesia (MUA) for arthrofibrosis after TKA. Patients who underwent primary TKA with need for subsequent MUA were age and sex matched to control patients who underwent primary TKA without requiring MUA. Preoperative and postoperative Patient-Reported Outcomes Measurement Information System (PROMIS) scores for function, pain, and depression as well as range of motion in both groups were compared. There were 16 MUA patients and 48 non-MUA patients included in this study. There was a significantly higher percentage of patients with preoperative depression in the MUA group (62.5% vs. 10.4%, p < 0.001). (Journal of Surgical Orthopaedic Advances 34(2):078-081, 2025)

Key words: manipulation under anesthesia, arthrofibrosis, stiffness, total knee arthroplasty, depression, PROMIS