Introduction:

total knee arthroplasty is a common procedure in orthopedic surgery for treating grade IV knee osteoarthritis. This procedure reduces pain and improves functionality. However, the results according to the approach are different, it is not clear which surgical approach is clearly superior. The objective of this study is to evaluate the time and post-surgical bleeding, as well as the postoperative pain of the midvasto versus medial parapatellar approach in primary total knee arthroplasty in grade IV gonarthrosis.

Material and methods:

an observational, comparative, retrospective study was carried out from June 1, 2020 to December 31, 2020, including beneficiaries of the Mexican Social Security Institute over 18 years of age with a diagnosis of grade IV knee osteoarthritis scheduled for primary total knee arthroplasty in the absence of other inflammatory pathology, previous osteotomies or coagulopathies.

Results:

of 99 patients who underwent the midvasto approach (group M) and 100 patients to the medial parapatellar approach (group T), there was preoperative hemoglobin 14.7 g/l group M and 15.2 g/l group T, reduction was 5.0 g/l group M and 4.6 g/l group T. Significant pain reduction in both groups without significant difference; from 6.7 to 3.2 group M and from 6.7 to 3.1 group T. The surgical time was significantly longer with the medial parapatellar approach (98.7 versus 89.2 minutes).

Conclusions:

both approaches represent an excellent access route to perform primary total knee arthroplasty; however, no significant differences were found in the volume of bleeding or in the reduction of pain, the midvaste approach was associated with shorter surgical time and less involvement of flexion of the knee. Therefore, the midvasto approach is recommended in patients undergoing primary total knee arthroplasty.