Changing practice for hip arthroplasty and its implications

Application of fast-track surgery combined with a clinical nursing pathway in the rehabilitation of patients undergoing total hip arthroplasty

Objective

Methods

Results

Conclusion

[A comparative study of MAKO robotic arm assisted total hip arthroplasty and traditional total hip arthroplasty through posterolateral approach]

Objective

To investigate the efficacy of total hip arthroplasty (THA) assisted by the MAKO robotic arm via posterolateral approach.

Methods

The clinical data of 70 patients treated with THA via posterolateral approach between March 2017 and March 2019 who met the selection criteria were retrospectively analyzed. According to different treatment methods, the patients were divided into two groups, 35 were treated with MAKO robotic arm assisted THA (MAKO group) and 35 with traditional THA (THA group). There was no significant difference in gender, age, body mass index, disease duration, etiology, perioperative time, preoperative activity of daily living (ADL) scale index, American Society of Anesthesiologists (ASA) classification, walking ability, comorbidities, hemoglobin, and other general data between the two groups ( P>0.05). The operation time, intraoperative blood loss, hospital stay, postoperative acetabular abduction and anteversion angles, postoperative length difference of bilateral lower limbs, and proportions of intraoperative blood transfusion, immediate postoperative loading, wound drainage time more than 2 days, and complications were recorded and compared between the two groups. According to the X-ray films at 6 months after operation, the reduction quality was judged. The forgotten joint score, Harris score, and proportions of independent walking and ADL index increased were used to evaluate the function recovery of patients.

Results

Patients in both groups were followed up 6-18 months, with an average of 8 months. There was no significant difference ( P>0.05) between the two groups in operation time, intraoperative blood loss, hospital stay, acetabular abduction and anteversion angles, and length difference of both lower limbs at 6 months after operation. There was no significant difference in the proportions of intraoperative blood transfusion, immediate postoperative loading, and wound drainage time more than 2 days between the two group ( P>0.05). X-ray reexamination at 6 months after operation showed that there was no significant difference in the reduction quality between the two groups ( Z=4.191, P=0.123). Postoperative complications occurred in 7 patients (20.0%) in the MAKO group and 10 patients (28.6%) in the THA group, showing no significant difference in the incidence of complications between the two groups ( χ ²=2.121, P=0.224). Two patients (5.7%) in the MAKO group and 4 patients (11.4%) in the THA group underwent revision within 6 months, showing no significant difference in the revision rate between the two groups ( χ ²=0.729, P=0.673). At 3 and 6 months after operation, the proportions of independent walking and ADL index increased showed no significant difference between the two groups ( P>0.05). Harris scores in both groups improved significantly when compared with preoperative scores ( P<0.05); there was no significant difference in the forgotten joint scores and Harris scores between the two groups ( P>0.05).

Conclusion

Compared with traditional THA, MAKO robotic arm assisted THA has longer operation time and more intraoperative blood loss, but it has the advantages of accurate positioning and simple operation, and there is no significant difference in short-term postoperative function recovery.

Nursing care and outcome in surgical patients - why do we have to care?

Nurses have an important role in patient care. They continuously work in very close contact with patients and foster the realization of activities of daily living as well as ensure quality medical treatment. For both, a high educational level is needed. A large proportion of patients with complex health situations involving chronic illnesses and multimorbidities are treated in hospitals with shortened hospital lengths of stay, changing the caring needs and the demands on nursing. Nurses must handle complex nursing tasks for which a higher educational level is indispensable, including the ability to implement evidence-based practice. In addition, studies show a correlation between the educational level of nursing staff and the health outcomes of patients. If there are too few highly educated nurses, there is an increase in patient mortality as well as the risk of patient complications, such as falls. Also, a low number of nursing staff and a high proportion of admissions decrease the quality of nursing and result in unfavorable patient outcomes. Both developments call for the necessity of a changing nursing practice and the possibilities to transform interprofessional work.

Robotics-assisted versus conventional manual approaches for total hip arthroplasty: A systematic review and meta-analysis of comparative studies

Background

Several studies have compared robotics‐assisted (RA) and conventional manual (CM) approaches for total hip arthroplasty (THA), but their results are controversial.

Methods

A literature search was conducted for controlled clinical trials (CCTs) comparing the clinical efficacy of the RA and CM approaches for THA and published between August 1998 and August 2018. The obtained data were analyzed using the statistical software Review Manager 5.3.

Results

Fourteen articles were included in the meta‐analysis, which revealed that the RA group had less intraoperative complications, better cup angle, and more cases of cup placement in the safe zone than the CM group. However, the operation time required for the CM group was less than that required for the RA group. Moreover, postoperative complications (eg, dislocation and revision surgery) were less frequent in the CM group than in the RA group. However, the two groups had similar functional scores, total number of complications, and rate of occurrence of limb length discrepancy.

Conclusion

Compared with the CM approach, the RA approach yields better radiological outcomes and fewer intraoperative complications in THA, but similar functional scores.