When is manipulation under anesthesia necessary?
Manipulation under anesthesia (MUA) is generally indicated for patients who do not achieve >90° of flexion by 6-12 weeks postoperatively. Complications from MUA are rare but can be devastating.
How do you avoid manipulation under anesthesia?
To avoid a Manipulation Under Anesthesia a patient must achieve at least 110º flexion and -5º extension. For most surgeons the window of time for an MUA is 12 weeks. As much as 25% of MUA patients require a second MUA.
What is the success rate of manipulation under anesthesia?
When knee stiffness is confirmed, it can be treated with manipulation under anesthesia, which is successful 85% of the time.
What happens if MUA doesn’t work?
You can try the conservative route with exercise and manual therapy under the supervision of a physical therapist. If that doesn’t work, then surgery is advised. The surgeon must choose among three choices: 1) manipulation under anesthesia (MUA), 2) arthroscopic exam and debridement, and 3) open incision with revision.
How do you know if you need a knee manipulation?
If the knee does not bend to 90 degrees, the patient may consider a manipulation under anesthesia (MUA). Approximately, 1.8% of patients may require this procedure due to stiffness.
Do knee manipulations work?
A manipulation under anesthesia (MUA) for knee surgery is most common and effective around the 6-12 week mark after surgery. Surgeons won’t consider the procedure until a minimum of 6 weeks out from surgery. On the other end, a MUA may be recommended months (even years) after a knee replacement.
How painful is a MUA?
It is not uncommon to experience significant pain following an MUA. You can make the pain manageable with icing of the knee and prescribed pain medication. There may be some swelling of the knee area. At first do not be surprised if the procedure results in poor flexion.
When is too late knee manipulation?
A manipulation under anesthesia (MUA) for knee surgery is most common and effective around the 6-12 week mark after surgery. Surgeons won’t consider the procedure until a minimum of 6 weeks out from surgery.
How long does it take to recover from MUA?
Rehabilitation should begin as soon as possible after MUA, typically within a week to 10 days, with a program of physical therapy appropriate to the individual patient. Rehabilitation programs usually include electrostimulation, ultrasound, heating and massage as well as physical therapy exercises.