E. Haunschild (Fairfield, US)

Presenter Of 1 Presentation

Podium Presentation Rehabilitation and Sport

10.2.9 - The Public Perception of Microfracture Surgery: A Cohort Study Comparing the General Public and Elite Athletes

Presentation Number
10.2.9
Presentation Topic
Rehabilitation and Sport
Lecture Time
14:42 - 14:51
Session Type
Free Papers
Corresponding Author
Disclosure
No Significant Commercial Relationship

Abstract

Purpose

Microfracture remains the most common repair strategy for treatment of symptomatic cartilage defects of the knee, and the gold standard to which all other cartilage repair procedures are compared. Despite the widespread utilization of microfracture amongst orthopaedic surgeons, there is a paucity of information regarding the public’s perception of the surgery. This study tested the hypothesis that public understanding of the procedure may be unsatisfactory and identified specific misperceptions to be addressed during patient education.

Methods and Materials

A 32 question survey designed to assess an individual’s knowledge of articular cartilage function and the surgical indications, technique, recovery time and general benefits of microfracture surgery was designed and administered to eligible patients. All participants were between 18 and 78 years of age, and were directly recruited from an academic orthopaedic sports medicine clinic and a collegiate athletic training room.

Results

A total of 253 participants (203 patients, 50 collegiate athletes, 132 men, 121 women, mean age 38.7 years) completed the questionnaire. Articular cartilage knowledge was scarce, with only 24% of both cohorts identifying that articular cartilage was found in the knee. In both cohorts, there were no statistically significant differences in survey performance among those who reported moderate, little, or no perceived knowledge of microfracture surgery. Overall, 75.9% of patients and 88% of athletes underestimated postoperative recovery time. 93.1% of patients and 98% of athletes underestimated rates of repeat interventions within five years, and 61% of patients and 90% of athletes overestimated rates of pain reduction with surgical intervention.

Conclusion

The general public and elite athletes demonstrate comparable deficits in knowledge regarding cartilage injury and microfracture surgery. Both cohorts overestimated rates of successful surgical outcomes and underestimated rehabilitation times prior to return to sport. In the age of informed consent, these knowledge deficits should be addressed to improve patient expectations and satisfaction.

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