title: The first 6 weeks of recovery after total knee arthroplasty with fast track.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  During the last decade, many hospitals have implemented fast-track protocols for total knee arthroplasty (TKA). These protocols reduce the length of hospital stay, but there is no literature on the first period after hospital discharge. We determined how patients experienced the first 6 weeks after hospital discharge after fast-track TKA surgery.
  
  
  METHODS
  34 consecutive patients who had TKA surgery with fast track received a diary for 6 weeks, which contained various international validated questionnaires. In addition, general questions regarding pain, the wound, physiotherapy, and thrombosis prophylaxis injections were posed.
  
  
  RESULTS
  4 of the 34 patients were excluded during the study. Of the remaining 30 patients, 28 were positive regarding the short length of hospital stay. Pain gradually decreased and quality of life and function gradually improved during the 6 weeks. Mean hours of weekly physiotherapy were 0.6 for the first week and 0.9 during the sixth week, with high variance of treatment modalities due to the lack of standardized treatment protocols. Additional clinical consultations were needed in 9 patients during the 6-week period.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  28 of 30 patients were satisfied with the short length of hospital stay. The intensity of physiotherapy was surprisingly low. The quality of life 6 weeks after discharge was similar to that before the surgery.
authors.affiliation: a Department of Orthopedic Surgery , Reinier de Graaf Groep , Delft , the Netherlands .
authors.forename: Jeroen C
authors.initials: JC
authors.lastname: Van Egmond
authors.affiliation: a Department of Orthopedic Surgery , Reinier de Graaf Groep , Delft , the Netherlands .
authors.forename: Hennie
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Verburg
authors.affiliation: a Department of Orthopedic Surgery , Reinier de Graaf Groep , Delft , the Netherlands .
authors.forename: Nina M C
authors.initials: NM
authors.lastname: Mathijssen
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D019645:Arthroplasty, Replacement, Knee / Q000379:methods / Q000523:psychology / Q000534:rehabilitation*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007902:Length of Stay / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D008297:Male; D008499:Medical Records; D008875:Middle Aged; D010149:Postoperative Pain / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000523:psychology; D011788:Quality of Life; D020127:Recovery of Function; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D013997:Time Factors