The postoperative status of total knee arthroplasty (TKA) patients on discharge from an acute setting in Johannesburg hospitals, South Africa

Abstract

Introduction There is little known about the acute status of TKA patients, as many studies have focused on the long-term outcomes (Aarons et al., 1996). Knowing the acute status can aid physiotherapists in planning postoperative treatment protocols and help with discharge planning. This research examines the postoperative status of total knee arthroplasty (TKA) patients on discharge from an acute setting. The objectives of the study were to establish pain, ROM of the operated knee, functional level, socio-demographic factors, clinical data and the relationship between identified factors and postoperative functional status of TKA patients in the acute setting. Materials and Methods This study is classified as a quantitative, cross-sectional design. Sociodemographic and clinical data, pain, range of movement (ROM) and function of TKA patients were collected on day three post operation. A selfdesigned data capture sheet, the goniometer, VAS (Visual Analogue Scale) and ILOA (Iowa Level of Assistance) were used to measure data. Results Forty-four patients were assessed. There were 41% males and 59% females. The average age was 67 years and BMI was 30kg/m2. All patients had decreased ROM and 82% had poor quadriceps strength. Pain on walking was 5.8 on the VAS and correlated with the ILOA score. Pain on rest was 3.3 and when climbing stairs was 2.4. Sixty-one percent of subjects performed supine to sit, 59% performed sit to stand and 43% performed ambulation independently. Men performed better with an ILOA score of 24. Females had an ILOA score of 31. Length of stay (LOS) was 5.7 days. Females, older subjects and those with no medical conditions were more likely to stay in hospital for longer. Conclusion Knowledge of these factors will help to give patients a likely prognosis following a TKA and target future rehabilitation. Patients should receive adequate pain control to improve their functional ability. More attention should be given to female patients as they perform worse than men. Patients in this population should be referred for outpatient physiotherapy post-discharge, as their status on day three post operation reflected poor ROM, quadriceps muscle strength and function which may affect their rehabilitation outcome.