Effect of fast track surgery on functional recovery of knee joint replacement

Abstract

Objective To study the effect of fast tract surgery (FTS) used in patients undergoing total knee arthroplasty (TKA). Methods For the experimental group, 341 inpatients with TKA in the Joint Surgery Department of Shandong Provincial Hospital from June 2014 to June 2015 were treated with FTS nursing measures. For the control group, 355 inpatients with TKA of the same department from January 2013 to May 2014 were treated with conventional nursing measures. The effects of FTS nursing measures, the parameters of patients' postoperative complications, average hospitalization days and the function recovery of knee joint were evaluated respectively. Results After implementing the FTS nursing measures , the incidence of deep venous thrombosis of lower limbs reduced from 8.45%(30/355) to 2.35%(8/341) (χ2=2.340, P < 0.05). The average hospitalization days treated without/with FTS nursing measures were: unilateral knee (14.49±3.62) days (without FTS) vs. (11.95±4.53) days (with FTS), bilateral knees (15.80± 3.01) days (without FTS) vs. (13.19±4.08) days (with FTS) (t =3.166, P < 0.05). Two weeks after surgery, the HSS scores in the experimental group was 65.72 ± 5.54, while the HSS scores in the control group was 52.43 ± 7.32 (t=2.452, P < 0.05). Three months after surgery, the HSS scores in the experimental group was 88.72 ± 7.10, while the HSS scores in the control group was 72.14 ± 8.73 (t=2.528, P < 0.05). Conclusions FTS nursing measures could significantly reduce the incidence of deep venous thrombosis of lower limbs, shorten the hospitalization days of inpatients, and promote the functional recovery of knees. Key words: Recovery of function; Fast track surgery; Total knee arthroplasty; HSS score