Does total knee arthroplasty affect overactive bladder symptoms in female patients?

Introduction and hypothesis In the current study we hypothesized that total knee arthroplasty might improve the overactive bladder symptoms by providing pain relief and improving physical function. Methods One hundred patients who underwent total knee arthroplasty were preoperatively evaluated for overactive bladder and 47 patients that met inclusion criteria were included in this study. All the patients included in the study were assessed both preoperatively and at the 3rd month postoperatively using the Overactive Bladder-Validated 8 (OAB-V8) questionnaire for overactive bladder symptoms, the Oxford Knee Score (OKS) for pain and physical function, and the International Physical Activity Questionnaire-Short Form (IPAQ-SF) for physical activity. Results The mean age of the patients was 65.4 +/- 7 (56-83) years. The OAB-V8, OKS and IPAQ-SF scores significantly improved at the 3rd month postoperatively compared with the initial assessment. All the OAB-V8 domains, namely, frequency, urgency, nocturia, and urgency urinary incontinence, significantly improved following total knee arthroplasty. Conclusions Our results showed that following total knee arthroplasty, overactive bladder questionnaire scores significantly improved at the 3rd month postoperatively.