The Role of Synovectomy in Pain Reduction Following Total Knee Arthroplasty

Objective: This randomized controlled trial (RCT) aimed to examine the role of synovectomy during total knee arthroplasty (TKA) in pain reduction among patients with end-stage osteoarthritis who exhibited moderate to severe synovial inflammation, as determined by ultrasound assessment. Methods: Nine participants were randomized to undergo TKA surgery with or without synovectomy. Primary and secondary outcomes were assessed through a variety of patient-reported questionnaires that targeted pain, quality of life, joint function, and satisfaction, in addition to functional performance tests. Outcome data were collected pre-operatively, and at six weeks and 12-weeks post-operatively, and were compared between groups at all study time points. Results: Data analysis revealed no statistically significant differences between groups for all outcomes across all time points. Conclusions: It is too early to make any definitive conclusions regarding study results due to a small sample size and lack of adequate power. Participant recruitment and data collection remain ongoing.