Chronic pain after arthroplasty (Q89612)

Chronic pain after arthroplasty is chronic pain developing or increasing in intensity after a surgical replacement of a hip or knee joint (arthroplasty) that persists or recurs for longer than 3 months after surgery (i.e. beyond the healing process). The pain is localised in the area of the surgery and may radiate into adjacent areas. Other causes of chronic pain including infection, malignancy etc. need to be excluded as well as chronic pain continuing from a pre-existing pain condition. In case of pain that continues from a preoperative condition, intensity and/or pain characteristics must be different and may include the new development of a neuropathic component.