Abstract

This study aims to evaluate the effectiveness and safety of the patients receiving simultaneous bilateral TKA (BTKA). A total of 93 consecutive patients with bilateral knee degenerative osteoarthritis from January 2008 to November 2013 were divided into two groups – one-stage group (bilateral TKA under a single anesthetic, n = 54) and two-stage group (bilateral TKA performed during two separate admissions, n = 39). The patients in the both group have a similar incidence of postoperative complications (p = 0.544). The one-stage BTKA can significantly (p < 0.05) decrease the operative time, length of stay, and hospital charges, when compared to two-stage BTKA. The patients in one-stage group have a significantly (p < 0.05) higher postoperative drainage, amount of hidden blood loss, amount of blood loss, allogeneic transfusion and rate of blood transfusion, compared with those in two-stage group. Patients in both groups had a similar KSS (p = 0.839) and ROM (p = 0.383). The findings suggests that one-stage BTKA may be safely performed with similar knee function to those of twostage procedure, and has the added benefit of single anaesthetic, reduced costs and decreased hospital stay when compared to two-stage BTKA.