The most important finding of this study is that patient-specific preoperative multidisciplinary intervention consisting of individual interviews and rehabilitation education of elderly patients undergoing primary TKA significantly improved the STAI score. Furthermore, this study indicated that severe pain and decreased function contribute to the non-improvement of preoperative anxiety, despite patient-specific preoperative multidisciplinary interventions.
Timing of intervention
A previous study [22] reported that 38% of patients experienced the highest level of anxiety when the surgeon recommended TKA in an outpatient clinic. Despite suffering from chronic knee pain for a long time, the treatment process in the outpatient clinic proceeded very quickly; that is, patients who received their updated OA diagnosis were recommended TKA as the last treatment method and were asked to decide on the date of surgery within a few minutes. These findings may be sufficient to induce anxiety among geriatric patients in outpatient clinics. Therefore, interventions to improve patients’ anxiety levels between the time of TKA and hospitalization for surgery are recommended.
Preoperative outpatient interviews with surgeons
Overseeing preoperative outpatient appointments may reduce anxiety. One study reported that anesthesiologists explained different anesthetic options before surgery and provided counseling on anxiety related to anesthesia and surgery [16]. Previous studies on surgery-related anxiety have similarly reported that trust in medical staff is worthwhile in helping patients overcome preoperative anxiety [2, 17, 18]. Therefore, in this study, the final interview with the patient was designed to be conducted by the surgeon who would perform the surgery, who comprehensively explained the results of all tests performed for the surgery and answered the patient’s questions related to the surgery and hospitalization.
Effectiveness of preoperative preoperative multidisciplinary intervention
Preoperative multidisciplinary intervention improves not only patient anxiety but also postoperative outcomes. Medina-Garzon [19] evaluated the effectiveness of a nursing intervention with three sessions of motivational interviewing to reduce preoperative anxiety in patients who underwent TKA and reported that anxiety levels improved after the intervention. Ho et al. [20] introduced a patient-specific integrated education program into the TKA clinical pathway and reported that anxiety status improved after the intervention regarding STAI scores during hospitalization. This study evaluated anxiety levels before and after preoperative multidisciplinary intervention in the same patients and indicated that anxiety levels significantly decreased after intervention compared with those before intervention. Preoperative education improves surgical outcomes in patients who underwent TKA [7, 20, 21, 22, 23]. Although preoperative education is embedded in the consent process, it is unclear whether it offers benefits regarding anxiety reduction over usual care [24]. A systematic review and meta-analysis [23] conducted to determine the efficacy of preoperative education and/or exercise on postoperative outcomes in patients undergoing TKA reported significant improvements in function, quadriceps strength, and length of stay. However, the trials included in that systematic review differed, in that, they evaluated whether preoperative education affected postoperative anxiety, whereas this study evaluated whether preoperative intervention affected preoperative anxiety.
Demand for a high level of intervention
Olsen et al. [25] reported that more severe preoperative pain (OR = 1.34) and more severe anxiety symptoms (OR = 1.14) were associated with an increased likelihood of moderate-to-severe pain five years after TKA, and more severe anxiety symptoms (OR = 1.25) were also associated with an increased likelihood of moderate-to-severe pain-related functional impairment five years after TKA. From this, it can be assumed that preoperative pain, preoperative functional status, and preoperative anxiety level are interrelated. Similarly, this study indicated that patients with severe pain, decreased function, and high anxiety levels did not respond to preoperative interventions consisting of rehabilitation education and additional interviews with surgeons. Therefore, other interventions, such as psychotherapy or pharmacotherapy, may be required for non-responsive patients. Previous studies [26, 27] have evaluated the efficacy of pharmacotherapy 6 months before cervical spine surgery in patients with a history of anxiety or depression and reported that pretreatment for affective disorders significantly improved clinical outcomes. Wang et al. [28] reported that postoperative pain improved when duloxetine was administered to centrally sensitized patients who underwent TKA, so it can be expected that the administration of a similar anti-anxiety drug would not only improve pain but also improve perioperative anxiety.
Strengths and weaknesses of this study
This study differs from others, in that, it provides an opportunity for patients to receive a comprehensive explanation of the benefits and risks of surgery as well as the results of each department’s assessment of anesthesia risk, from the physician performing the surgery. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first study to evaluate the effectiveness of a surgeon-directed preoperative intervention in reducing preoperative anxiety in patients undergoing TKA, regarding changes in STAI and the proportion of patients with CMSA. Moreover, this study established that the characteristics of patients whose CMSA status did not improve despite preoperative intervention suggested the need for appropriate additional intervention.
This study had certain limitations. First, the sample size was small; only geriatric patients who underwent TKA for knee OA at a single institution were included. Additionally, the generalizability of the findings may be limited. Second, it was not possible to determine which of the two programs, rehabilitation education or surgeon interviews, was more effective in reducing patient anxiety. Third, we assessed the characteristics of non-responders using demographic, social, and clinical factors. However, we could not evaluate various factors that could not be verified with objective numbers such as rapport with staff, previous experience or knowledge of surgical procedures, personal characteristics, and susceptibility to stressful situations. Finally, this study did not evaluate whether the participants whose anxiety levels improved before TKA experienced improvements in their postoperative pain or functional scores. In cases of total joint replacement, patients who receive preoperative education reportedly exhibit greater mobility in the immediate postoperative period and a shorter length of stay [22]. Therefore, mid- to long-term follow-up evaluations of the participants are necessary to evaluate differences in postoperative outcomes.