title: Postoperative falls after total knee arthroplasty in patients with a femoral nerve catheter: can we reduce the incidence?
abstract: A femoral nerve catheter (FNC) is often used to minimize pain following total knee arthroplasty (TKA), but complications including inpatient falls, may increase as a result, despite fall prevention protocols. We evaluated the rate of falls in 707 primary TKAs performed with an FNC at a major academic center from May 2009 to September 2012. Despite a formalized fall prevention protocol, we found 19 falls (2.7%). Three patients required further operative intervention. At a rate of 2.7%, postoperative fall is one of the most common complications of TKA at our institution. While pain control may be good with the use of FNCs following primary TKA, improvements in fall prevention strategies or the use of alternative postoperative pain control modalities may need to be considered.
authors.affiliation: Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, Utah.
authors.forename: Christopher E
authors.initials: CE
authors.lastname: Pelt
authors.affiliation: Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, Utah.
authors.forename: Anthony W
authors.initials: AW
authors.lastname: Anderson
authors.affiliation: Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, Utah.
authors.forename: Mike B
authors.initials: MB
authors.lastname: Anderson
authors.affiliation: Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, Utah.
authors.forename: Christin
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Van Dine
authors.affiliation: Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, Utah.
authors.forename: Christopher L
authors.initials: CL
authors.lastname: Peters
mesh_terms: D000058:Accidental Falls / Q000517:prevention & control*; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D019645:Arthroplasty, Replacement, Knee / Q000009:adverse effects; D005260:Female; D005267:Femoral Nerve; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009407:Nerve Block / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000295:instrumentation; D010149:Postoperative Pain / Q000188:drug therapy*; D011183:Postoperative Complications / Q000517:prevention & control; D011184:Postoperative Period; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: complications; fall risk; femoral nerve catheter; inpatient falls; total knee arthroplasty