Factors delaying mobilization after hip and knee arthroplasty
Abstract
Objective: Arthroplasty patients undergo pre-operative assessment and medical optimization before surgery with the objective to mobilize and discharge home as soon as deemed fit to reduce hospital stay. This study was aimed to investigate factors delaying mobilization after hip and knee arthroplasty in our hospital.
Methods: This observational study was conducted in our hospital between August 2021 and October 2021. We included all elective orthopedic patients who were admitted for hip and knee arthroplasty during this period. Patients admitted for revision arthroplasty were excluded from the study. We collected data prospectively on a pro forma including patient demographics and different other variables. All patients were
reviewed on the first post-operative day by one of the authors and pro formas were completed. We used SPSS to analyze data.
Results: Sixty patients were included; 32 females and 28 males with a mean age of 69.62 years. Primary knee arthroplasty was done in 30 patients while 30 underwent primary hip arthroplasty. Most of the patients (n = 50) were mobilized on the 1st day; however, ten patients were unable to mobilize. Orthostatic hypotension, dizziness, and pain were statistically significant factors responsible for failed mobilization on day one. Patients who failed to mobilize on day one had longer hospital stay (P = 0.018).
Conclusion: Orthostatic intolerance and post-operative pain were independent factors delaying mobilization after hip and knee arthroplasty thereby increasing the length of stay in these patients.
Keywords:
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
Authors who publish with this journal agree to the following terms:
- Authors retain copyright and grant the journal right of first publication with the work simultaneously licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution License that allows others to share the work with an acknowledgement of the work's authorship and initial publication in this journal.
- Authors are able to enter into separate, additional contractual arrangements for the non-exclusive distribution of the journal's published version of the work (e.g., post it to an institutional repository or publish it in a book), with an acknowledgement of its initial publication in this journal.
- Authors are permitted and encouraged to post their work online (e.g., in institutional repositories or on their website) prior to and during the submission process, as it can lead to productive exchanges, as well as earlier and greater citation of published work (See The Effect of Open Access).