Research published in The Journal of Arthroplasty found using an outpatient total hip arthroplasty care pathway resulted in better short-term outcomes than inpatient total hip arthroplasty.
Researchers conducted a retrospective review of 164 patients who had undergone outpatient total hip arthroplasty from January 2015 to September 2016. Researchers applied The Risk of Readmission Tool, a risk stratification program, to inpatient total hip arthroplasties performed on 1,858 patients from June 2014 to December 2016 to produce a cohort who had a similar risk profile to patients who had undergone outpatient surgery.
The cohorts were evaluated for demographics variables, length of stay discharge disposition and 30- to 90 -day readmissions.
Here are the key research takeaways:
1. The outpatient cohort had a lower rate of 90-day readmissions than the inpatient cohort.
2. Length of stay for the outpatient cohort was 8.8 hours, compared to the inpatient cohort at 55.20 hours.
3. The outpatient cohort needed extended stays for acute postoperative blood loss, uncontrolled pain, nausea, postoperative hypotension and other unspecified reasons.
4. Adverse events included a patient who had an intraoperative complication of a cortical perforation during broaching of the femur.
Researchers concluded, "The use of an institutional SDD THA care pathway can produce results with equivalent or better short-term outcomes than that of traditional inpatient THA."