title: Preoperative predictors of length of hospital stay and discharge disposition following primary total knee arthroplasty at a military medical center.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The objective of this study is to retrospectively review the preoperative data compared to the patient's length of hospital stay (LOHS) and discharge disposition to home or a skilled nursing facility (SNF) following primary total knee arthroplasty.
  
  
  METHODS
  Preoperative data on 383 patients included year and day of the week of the surgery, patient age, body mass index (BMI), American Society of Anesthesiologists (ASA) class, and gender.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Mean LOHS for all patients was 4.35 days. Three hundred and twenty-eight patients were discharged to home and 55 patients were discharged to a SNF. Factors found to be statistically significant with increased LOHS were increased age, increased ASA class, decreased BMI, and year of admission before instituting a "pathway" program. Factors significant for discharge to a SNF were increased age and ASA class.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Older patients with higher ASA class have longer LOHS and increased discharges to a SNF. Patients whose surgery was performed after instituting a "pathway" program and those with higher BMI had a decreased LOHS.
authors: Madigan Army Medical Center, BLD 9040 Fitzsimmons Drive, Tacoma, WA 98431, USA.
authors: David A
authors: DA
authors: Crawford
authors: William
authors: W
authors: Scully
authors: Lee
authors: L
authors: McFadden
authors: Mark
authors: M
authors: Manoso
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D019645:Arthroplasty, Replacement, Knee; D005260:Female; D006772:Hospitals, Military; D006801:Humans; D007902:Length of Stay; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010351:Patient Discharge; D012866:Skilled Nursing Facilities / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D014861:Washington