The Effect of TENS on Patient Outcomes After Total Knee Arthroplasty.

Study Summary

44 patients undergoing primary unilateral total knee arthroplasty (TKA) were randomized to receive postoperative transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation (TENS) plus routine care or routine postoperative care alone. The primary outcome was pain intensity during the first 24 hours, assessed using the Turkish Version of the Revised American Pain Society Patient Outcome Questionnaire (APS-POQ-R-TR). Secondary outcomes included pain interference with activity and sleep, psychological effects, treatment-related side effects, patient satisfaction, nonpharmacological pain-management strategies, and opioid and nonopioid analgesic consumption. Outcomes were assessed over the first 24 postoperative hours. Overall, the results of the study revealed that TENS significantly reduced pain intensity, pain-related functional and sleep interference, psychological distress, nausea, dizziness, opioid use, and nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID) use while increasing pain relief and treatment satisfaction. These findings suggested that TENS may be an effective addition to multimodal pain management during the early postoperative period after TKA.