title: Management of falls after total knee arthroplasty.
abstract: This study evaluated 78 patients who fell after total knee arthroplasty. Eight patients (10.3%) had soft-tissue injuries that led to a poor clinical course (deep infection, unplanned return to the operating room, temporary or permanent resection arthroplasty, or knee arthrodesis). Factors related to a poor clinical course included copious bleeding from the surgical wound immediately after falling, falling within 8 weeks of arthroplasty, and rupturing the parapatellar surgical wound and quadriceps repair. Patients who fall and have bleeding from their surgical wound should receive emergency surgical irrigation and debridement. A treatment protocol for patients who fall after total knee arthroplasty is presented.
authors.affiliation: Fondren Orthopedic Group LLP, Texas Orthopedic Hospital, Houston, Texas, USA.
authors.forename: Richard J
authors.initials: RJ
authors.lastname: Kearns
authors.forename: Daniel P
authors.initials: DP
authors.lastname: O'Connor
authors.forename: Mark R
authors.initials: MR
authors.lastname: Brinker
mesh_terms: D000058:Accidental Falls / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D000368:Aged; D019645:Arthroplasty, Replacement, Knee / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D007718:Knee Injuries / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000601:surgery*; D008297:Male; D018570:Risk Assessment / Q000379:methods*; D012307:Risk Factors; D013781:Texas / Q000453:epidemiology; D016896:Treatment Outcome