THA, TKA may improve sexual function in patients with osteoarthritis
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For patients with hip or knee osteoarthritis, total hip arthroplasty and total knee arthroplasty improved psychosocial and physical aspects of sexuality, according to published results.
Jose A. Rodriguez, MD, and colleagues reviewed data from patients who underwent THA or TKA for OA. Patients filled out preoperative and 6-month postoperative questionnaires on the psychosocial and physical aspects of their sexuality, as well as an assessment of their appearance. According to the study, 147 patients returned the preoperative questionnaire (the preoperative cohort), while 116 patients returned the postoperative questionnaire (the postoperative cohort).
Among the preoperative cohort, 91% of patients reported that OA affected their general well-being and 78% reported effects on their ability to perform spousal duties. Additionally, 56% of the cohort reported effects on self- esteem and 53% reported effects on sexual self-image.
After their respective THA or TKA, most patients reported improvements in general well-being, ability to perform spousal duties, self-esteem and sexual self-image. However, 16% of patients reported that arthroplasty adversely affected sexual function.
Rodriguez and colleagues also noted that women and patients who underwent THA reported the greatest improvements in sexual activity after surgery compared with men and patients who underwent TKA.
“Both hip and knee osteoarthritis and arthroplasty had a significant effect on overall sexual function — psychosocially, physically, and in terms of patients’ assessment of their external appearance — with higher rates of improvement seen after hip arthroplasty,” Rodriguez and colleagues wrote in the study. “Because of the effect of osteoarthritis and arthroplasty on sexual function, this topic should be addressed both pre- and postoperatively,” they added.
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