The benefit of modified rehabilitation and minimally invasive techniques in total hip replacement.
BACKGROUND
We wished to assess if an intensive rehabilitation regimen alone, or one combined with modified anaesthetic and surgical techniques, can change the speed of rehabilitation or the length of hospital stay after total hip replacement.


METHODS
We compared 44 patients who had followed a traditional care pathway, with 38 patients who had rehabilitated under a new rehabilitation protocol, with 40 patients who had also received modified, minimally invasive techniques. The speed of rehabilitation was measured in terms of three specific milestones accomplished on the day after surgery.


RESULTS
We found a statistically significant improvement in the day after surgery each activity was possible. The length of hospital stay was reduced from 6.5 days to 5.4 days to 4.1 days, a difference which was also statistically significant.


CONCLUSIONS
The data support the view that a new rehabilitation protocol alone can reduce the length of hospital stay and hasten rehabilitation. The combination of modified anaesthetic and minimally invasive surgical techniques with the new rehabilitation regimen can further improve short-term outcome after total hip replacement.
Lilikakis
Anastasios K
AK
Cambridge Hip and Knee Unit, BUPA Cambridge Lea Hospital, Impington, Cambridge, UK. alilikakis@yahoo.com
Gillespie
Beryl
B
Villar
Richard N
RN
D000368:Aged; D019644:Arthroplasty, Replacement, Hip / Q000379:methods / Q000534:rehabilitation*; D015992:Body Mass Index; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007902:Length of Stay; D008297:Male; D015207:Osteoarthritis, Hip / Q000534:rehabilitation* / Q000601:surgery; D010020:Osteonecrosis / Q000534:rehabilitation / Q000601:surgery; D026741:Physical Therapy Modalities; D011182:Postoperative Care / Q000379:methods / Q000534:rehabilitation*; D011183:Postoperative Complications / Q000209:etiology; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D016896:Treatment Outcome