Table 1.

Inclusion and exclusion criteria applied to articles identified in the literature

Inclusion criteria

1. All levels of evidence

2. Written in the English language

3. Studies on humans

4. Studies reporting factors affecting overall satisfaction and/or dissatisfaction following a primary total knee replacement

5. Operative procedure consisted solely of total knee replacement

6. Total knee replacement irrespective of any pathology

Exclusion criteria

1. Studies whose results included other procedures

2. Studies reporting satisfaction/dissatisfaction for only a small part of the procedure (e.g. ‘satisfaction in either pain control, skin closure, range of motion, nursing quality, anaesthesia, nerve block or physiotherapy’ was excluded)

3. Studies not reporting patient’s satisfaction (e.g. ‘studies on family’s or carer’s satisfaction’ were excluded)

4. Studies describing trial protocols without any results

5. Studies with follow-up period of 3 months or less

6. Revision total knee replacement

7. Unicompartmental knee replacement

8. Patellofemoral knee replacement

9. Cadaveric or radiological studies

10. Reviews, systematic reviews