RESUMEN
PURPOSE: The object of this study was to evaluate the quality of life after total knee replacement arthroplasty concerning objective and subjective satisfaction. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This study included 46 cases in 30 patients who underwent total knee replacement arthroplasty during August 1998 and March 2003. The knee score and the function score were measured using the Clinical Rating System of the American Knee Society, and the degree of satisfaction before and after the operation was also evaluated by the Medical Outcomes Study Short Form-36(SF-36). RESULTS: After total knee replacement arthroplasty, an increase from 41.3 to 85.6 was seen using the Clinical Rating System, and the increase was 31 to 82 in the SF-36 evaluation method; the two methods showed relation in the satisfaction level. An average increase of 6% was seen in the activity level of patients after the operation, and 47% of the patients using hot-stone beds changed their beds to normal beds. CONCLUSION: The analysis using Clinical Rating System and SF-36 in patients who underwent total knee replacement arthroplasty was seen to efficiently express the patients 'subjective symptoms to objective data, and were more useful than other analysis methods in observing the patients 'prognosis.