Hip and Knee Replacements in Ghana: A 2-Year Prospective Assessment of Outcomes

Abstract

Objective: Our objective was to assess the outcomes of hip and knee replacements among patients at the Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital in Ghana.Methodology: We recruited consenting patients who underwent a hip or knee replacement at the KATH over a 3-year period and followed up each study participant for 2 years. Prosthetic joint function was evaluated at 2 years following joint replacement. Complications of surgery were recorded for each patient during the follow-up period.Results: A total of 87 hip and knee replacements were performed in 78 patients over the 3-year period. Of the 78 patients enrolled in the study, 67.9% (53) were females and 32.1% (25) were males. Most, 47.2% (37), of the patients were aged between 61 and 80 years, with those less than 40 years constituting 7.7%. At 2 years follow-up, good to excellent outcome was reported in 95.5% THA, 91.2% hiphemiarthroplasty, and 90% TKA patients. The satisfaction rates were 95.5% THA, 97.0% hip hemiarthroplasty and 90% TKA participants.Conclusion: Women have a higher hip or knee replacement rate (67.9%) than men (32.1%) and the rate of hip or knee replacement increases with age for both men and women. Osteonecrosis of the femoral head is the most common indication for total hip arthroplasty in patients younger than 60 years. The presence of diabetes mellitus and sickle cell disease predicts less favourable patient reported outcomes following a hip or knee replacement. Arthroplasty of the knee or hip provides pain relief and improvement in function with a low complication rate and high patient satisfaction rate.