Prospective Observational Study of Current Perioperative Care for Hip and Knee Arthroplasty in South Africa, and Associated Outcomes

RESEARCH PROBLEM:

In the past 20 years, enhanced recovery pathways (ERPs) have become increasingly integrated into most surgical fields as standard care in high income countries, as is exemplified by national priority programs and the widespread acceptance of the Enhanced Recovery After Surgery (ERAS) society network. ERPs represent a fundamental shift towards a patient-centred, multidisciplinary-driven continuity of care that aim to attenuate surgical stress and expedite recovery. Studies on total joint arthroplasty (TJA) for both hips and knees have shown that implementation of an evidence-based, structured approach to patient care decreases postoperative morbidity and consequently length of stay without increasing readmission rate.

However, in low- and middle-income countries, the value of implementing ERPs is yet to be explored. This may be because: i) the perception that current hospital resources may make it difficult to develop and implement structured and sustainable protocols to enhance postoperative recovery, and ii) short and long-term data collection on the quality of the work provided is scarce, inhibiting the ability to benchmark clinical results and improve the service provided to patients. Despite these challenges, a healthcare system in a middle-income country such as South Africa may benefit from the implementation of ERPs through reduced postoperative morbidity and the associated cost reductions, as has been demonstrated in high-income countries.

STUDY RATIONAL:

Documentation of current perioperative interventions with associated postoperative outcomes is crucial before implementing a new model for perioperative care. As such, this study will give the investigators baseline values against which the perioperative results achieved from instituting a multidisciplinary enhanced care programme for South African arthroplasty patients will be analyzed.