Background and objective : Anterior knee pain is a common problem after total knee arthroplasty. The incidence is as high as 49% in patients undergoing total knee arthroplasty with patellar retention. The efficacy of patellar rim electrocautery in reducing the incidence of anterior knee pain is unknown.  We conducted a prospective randomized double blinded control trial to demonstrate the effect of patellar rim electrocautery in totally knee arthroplasty with patellar retention.  The primary outcome measure was the anterior knee pain. The secondary outcomes were the clinical outcomes measured by American Knee Society Score (AKSS) and Patellar Score.

Methods : Patients requiring total knee arthroplasty with patellar retention for primary osteoarthritis were randomly assigned patellar rim electrocautery and without electrocautery. A total of 41 patients with patellar rim electrocautery and 43 patients without patellar rim electrocautery were included in this study. The incidence of anterior knee pain and clinical outcomes measured by AKSS and patellar score at 1 year follow up period were comparied.

Results : Postoperative anterior knee pain at one year after surgery was significantly lower in patellar rim electrocautery group 32.6% vs  12.2 %, (p=0.04). There was no significant difference in clinical AKSS and patellar score.

Conclusions : Patellar rim electrocautery is an effective method to reduce postoperative anterior knee pain.

Keywords: total knee arthroplasty, anterior knee pain, patellar rim electrocautery