title: Reduced length of hospital stay after the introduction of a rapid recovery protocol for primary THA procedures.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Rapid recovery protocols after total hip arthroplasty (THA) have been introduced worldwide in the last few years and they have reduced the length of hospital stay. We show the results of the introduction of a rapid recovery protocol for primary THA for unselected patients in our large teaching hospital.
  
  
  METHODS
  In a retrospective cohort study, we included all 1,180 patients who underwent a primary THA between July 1, 2008 and June 30, 2012. These patients were divided into 3 groups: patients operated before, during, and after the introduction of the rapid recovery protocol. There were no exclusion criteria. All complications, re-admissions, and reoperations were registered and analyzed.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The mean length of hospital stay decreased from 4.6 to 2.9 nights after the introduction of the rapid recovery protocol. There were no statistically significant differences in the rate of complications, re-admissions, or reoperations between the 3 groups.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  In a large teaching hospital, the length of hospital stay decreased after introduction of our protocol for rapid recovery after THA in unselected patients, without any increase in complications, re-admissions, or reoperation rate.
authors.affiliation: Department of Orthopedic Surgery , Reinier de Graaf Hospital, Delft , the Netherlands.
authors.forename: Yvon M
authors.initials: YM
authors.lastname: den Hartog
authors.forename: Nina M C
authors.initials: NM
authors.lastname: Mathijssen
authors.forename: Stephan B W
authors.initials: SB
authors.lastname: Vehmeijer
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001168:Arthritis / Q000601:surgery; D019644:Arthroplasty, Replacement, Hip / Q000534:rehabilitation*; D002985:Clinical Protocols; D005260:Female; D005265:Femoral Neck Fractures / Q000601:surgery; D006801:Humans; D007902:Length of Stay / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010020:Osteonecrosis / Q000601:surgery; D010359:Patient Readmission / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D012086:Reoperation / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D055815:Young Adult
references.citation: Arch Orthop Trauma Surg. 2010 Sep;130(9):1185-91
references.pmid: 20535614
references.citation: Ann R Coll Surg Engl. 2006 Sep;88(5):475-8
references.pmid: 17002854
references.citation: Acta Orthop. 2011 Dec;82(6):679-84
references.pmid: 22066560
references.citation: Med J Aust. 1999 Jan 18;170(2):59-62
references.pmid: 10026684
references.citation: Clin Orthop Relat Res. 2009 Jun;467(6):1424-30
references.pmid: 19252961
references.citation: Br J Anaesth. 2012 Apr;108(4):607-11
references.pmid: 22277666
references.citation: J Bone Joint Surg Am. 2003 Jan;85(1):27-32
references.pmid: 12533568
references.citation: Acta Orthop. 2008 Apr;79(2):168-73
references.pmid: 18484241
references.citation: Arch Orthop Trauma Surg. 2012 Jan;132(1):101-4
references.pmid: 21947286
references.citation: Am J Surg. 2002 Jun;183(6):630-41
references.pmid: 12095591
references.citation: Injury. 2006 Dec;37 Suppl 5:S31-5
references.pmid: 17338910
references.citation: BMC Med. 2009 Jul 01;7:32
references.pmid: 19570193
references.citation: Am J Med. 1998 Jul;105(1):33-40
references.pmid: 9688019