Acute Care Physical and Occupational Therapy Early Intervention Pathway After Transcatheter Aortic Valve Replacement: A Retrospective Study

Abstract

Purpose: Transcatheter aortic valve replacement (tAVR) has emerged as a less-invasive alternative to traditional surgical aortic valve replacement. The purpose of this study was to examine the effect of a novel clinical pathway with an emphasis on early physical therapy and occupational therapy on patients undergoing tAVR in the acute care setting. Methods: A retrospective study was conducted involving 189 patients who underwent tAVR. The control group (n = 74) included patients who underwent tAVR prior to the implementation of the pathway. The intervention group (n = 115) included patients who underwent tAVR following the implementation of the pathway. Inpatient length of stay and discharge disposition were measured. Results: No differences in demographics or clinical variables were found; for example, mean age was 79.5 ± 11.2 years, with 57% male in the control group versus 81.6 ± 8.4 years and 59% male in the intervention group. Length of stay was significantly lower in the intervention group (control 6.9 ± 5.4 days, intervention 4.8 ± 5.4 days, P = .009) and significantly shorter length of stay postprocedure (control 4.8 ± 2.9 days, intervention 3.5 ± 4.0, P = .015). The incidence of the patient's discharge disposition to home increased from 77% of patients in the control group to 86% of patients in the intervention group but was not statistically significant (P = .118). Conclusions: A clinical pathway specific to patients post-tAVR provided early mobility, targeted education, individualized functional goals, and discharge disposition recommendations. Patients in the intervention group experienced reduced hospital length of stay.