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Abstract
Study design: a systematic review of randomised controlled trials.
Background: Knee arthroplasties are a common surgical procedure for patients suffering from knee osteoarthritis. Continuous passive motion (CPM) is frequently used to increase range of motion (ROM) in the knee and promote rapid postoperative recovery of patients undergoing total knee arthroplasty (TKA). Many clinical trials have tried to assess its efficacy, but results have been contradictory.
Objectives: To review the efficacy in terms of ROM of CPM in the postoperative management of patients undergoing TKA.
Methods: Medline, Embase, Cinahl and Cochrane databases and bibliographic indexes and relevant citations were searched. All relevant studies were assessed for methodological quality using a validated scoring instrument.
Data collection and analysis: Two reviewers independently extracted data and assessed trial quality. Results of a meta-analysis of ROM data were divided into short-term effects (i.e. 7-14 days after surgery) and long-term effects (i.e. 6-12 months after surgery). Where possible, data from individual trials were combined in a meta-analysis. Data were analysed using weighted mean differences (WMD with 95% confidence intervals [CI]) between treatment and control groups in the short and long term, weight being the inverse of variance.
Main results: Fifteen studies investigating the effect of continuous passive motion in the management of TKA patients were included in the review. Study quality ranged from poor (2 points on a 10-point scale) to good (8 points). The evidence on the efficacy of CPM after TKA is conflicting. Positive short-term effects of adding CPM to standardised physical therapy (PT) have been reported on flexion ROM. Five studies were included in a pooled analysis, for a total of 317 patients (pooled effect size WMD 8.27; 95% CI -1.60, 18.15)
Conclusions: There is evidence of a moderate positive, short-term effect of adding CPM to standardised PT after total knee arthroplasty. There is no relevant long-term effect of CPM use.