Comparison of Perioperative Intravenous vs Periarticular Dexamethasone vs No Steroid Supplementation for Pain, Function, and Safety in Primary Total Knee Arthroplasty for Knee Osteoarthritis

What this Trial Is About

Researchers are studying patients with knee osteoarthritis who are undergoing total knee arthroplasty (TKA) to compare three different steroid administration methods during surgery. This study aims to understand which method—intravenous steroid, intra-articular steroid, or no steroid supplementation—provides better outcomes in terms of pain relief and recovery. It is a randomized, double-blind trial designed to evaluate these approaches over a long period. The study involves three groups of patients receiving different treatments: one group will receive 9 mg of intravenous dexamethasone during surgery, another will receive 9 mg of intra-articular dexamethasone, and the control group will receive the standard anesthesia protocol without steroids. Each group will consist of 53 patients, totaling 159 participants. The interventions are perioperative and occur at the time of surgery. Participants will be followed for up to 10 years with assessments including pain levels at rest in the first 3 days after surgery, knee function, pain intensity, opioid consumption, time to first mobilization, and length of hospital stay. Researchers will also monitor safety by recording steroid-related complications such as infections and hyperglycemia. The study will collect data at multiple points, including up to 10 years post-surgery, with primary data analysis planned after one year of follow-up.

A Study to Compare Different Ways of Steroid Administration After Total Knee Implantation