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Predictive factors of length of hospital stay after primary total knee arthroplasty

  • Knee
  • Published:
Knee Surgery, Sports Traumatology, Arthroscopy Aims and scope

Abstract

Purpose

To reduce post-operative length of hospital stay (PLOS) after primary total knee arthroplasty (TKA), the fast-track method was introduced which focusses on mobilising the patient within 2 h after surgery. The aim of this prospective study was to identify the factors that predict PLOS using the fast-track method.

Methods

In a consecutive series from July 2012 to November 2012, all patients who were admitted for a primary TKA (Genesis II prosthesis, Smith and Nephew, Memphis, TN) were included in a prospective study. Demographic and relevant preoperative, perioperative and post-operative parameters for PLOS were collected. Multivariate linear regression analysis was performed to identify predictive factors.

Results

In total, 240 patients were included (59.6 % female) with a median age of 64.1 years (range 38–90). Median PLOS was 5 days (range 3–19). The predictive model suggested that ASA score (American Society of Anesthesiologists’ physical status classification) wound exudate and range of motion (ROM) at the day of surgery (day 0) were significant predictive factors for PLOS using the fast-track procedure after TKA (adjusted R 2 = 0.43).

Conclusions

Predictive factors for PLOS after TKA were ASA score, wound exudate and ROM at day 0. Adjustments in patient counselling, nursing ward, mode of physiotherapist training and discharge criteria regarding wound exudate may result in a further reduction of post-operative length of hospital stay.

Level of evidence

Prognostic studies: high-quality prospective cohort study, Level I.

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Conflict of interest

The authors declare that they have no conflict of interest.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Orthopedics, Sint Maartenskliniek, Hengstdal 3, 6574 NA, Nijmegen, The Netherlands

    Lotte van den Belt & Koen C. Defoort

  2. Department of Research, Sint Maartenskliniek, Hengstdal 3, 6574 NA, Nijmegen, The Netherlands

    Peter van Essen & Petra J. C. Heesterbeek

Authors
  1. Lotte van den Belt
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  2. Peter van Essen
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  3. Petra J. C. Heesterbeek
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  4. Koen C. Defoort
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Correspondence to Lotte van den Belt.

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van den Belt, L., van Essen, P., Heesterbeek, P.J.C. et al. Predictive factors of length of hospital stay after primary total knee arthroplasty. Knee Surg Sports Traumatol Arthrosc 23, 1856–1862 (2015). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00167-014-3313-x

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00167-014-3313-x

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