A large-scale review of joint replacement surgeries found that about 20% of patients reported ongoing pain 3 months post-surgery, with more than 12% still experiencing pain 2 years later. Differences in pain definitions, follow-up loss, and study populations contributed to variation in the findings. Identifying patients at higher risk may support improved outcomes, and the investigators recommended more research into long-term recovery and strategies to manage pain following joint surgery.

Source: BMJ Open