Prospective Randomized Trial of the Efficacy of Continuous Passive Motion Post Total Knee Arthroplasty: Experience of the Hospital for Special Surgery

• Published in: The Journal of arthroplasty Vol. 30; no. 12; pp. 2364 - 2369
• Main Authors: Joshi, Rupali N., PT, PhD, MEd, White, Peter B., BA, Murray-Weir, Mary, PT, MBA, Alexiades, Michael M., MD, Sculco, Thomas P., MD, Ranawat, Amar S., MD
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: United States Elsevier Inc 01-12-2015
• Subjects: Adult; Aged; Aged, 80 and over; Arthroplasty, Replacement, Knee - economics; Arthroplasty, Replacement, Knee - rehabilitation; continuous passive motion; Costs and Cost Analysis; CPM; Female; Humans; Joint Diseases - surgery; Knee Joint - surgery; Male; Middle Aged; Motion Therapy, Continuous Passive; Orthopedics; Patient Discharge; Physical Therapy Modalities; Prospective Studies; Range of Motion, Articular; Rehabilitation; TKA; total knee arthroplasty; Treatment Outcome; CPM; total knee arthroplasty; continuous passive motion; TKA; Rehabilitation
• ISSN: 0883-5403; 1532-8406
• DOI: 10.1016/j.arth.2015.06.006

Abstract Conflicting evidence has created substantial controversy regarding the use of continuous passive motion (CPM) in the in-patient setting post total knee arthroplasty (TKA). A total of 109 patients were randomly assigned to two groups, CPM or no CPM, applied after TKA. All patients received the same physical therapy protocol (3 sessions per day), with the only exception being the CPM. Both groups had a knee flexion of 115° at 6 weeks and 120° at 3 months, with no significant differences (P = 0.69 and P = 0.41, respectively). Length of stay was significantly less for the group who did not receive CPM. The use of CPM had no clinically relevant benefits with respect to AROM, clinical outcomes or discharge disposition and was associated with a cost of $235.50 per TKA.