Falls among older patients with total knee arthroplasty

Abstract

IntroductionFew studies have attempted to identify the prevalence of falls after TKA and their risk factors in older patients. The purpose of this study was to explore the prevalence of falls in patients with TKA as well as sociodemographic and medical factors that increase the risk of falling in older patients. MethodsOne-hundred-eighty-seven older patients aged 65 and older, who had undergone TKA, were retrospectively interviewed within a year from hospitalization. ResultsOf the 187 patients who underwent TKA in the last year, 26.7% sustained a fall. The mean time after TKA was eight months. This study reveals that older patients with a higher number of comorbidities, a higher number of medications, and suffering from depression, are at a higher risk of falls following TKA. ConclusionThe prevalence of falls was 26.7% following TKA. Older patients with a higher number of comorbidities, who take a higher number of medications, and suffer from depression, are at a higher risk of falling following TKA. Level of evidenceIV, retrospective cohort study.