Characterization of Preoperative Psychiatric Disorder in Relation to Postoperative Morbidity in Elective Fast-Track Total Hip and Knee Arthroplasty

It has been established that patients with psychiatric disorders tend to do worse in a surgical setting. Some types of surgery with greater impact than others, including orthopedic surgery. In our research group the investigators have shown this to be the case for hip and knee replacements within the mentioned patient category. However, the role of psychiatric disorder and use of different psychopharmacological drugs in relation to perioperative morbidity and mortality have not been thoroughly examined. The objective of this study is to shed light on the issue.

Recent studies have shown that different types of psychiatric disorder influence surgical outcome differently. This emphasizes the need for specific knowledge regarding psychiatric diagnoses preoperatively. In this study around 2000 patients with or without psychiatric disorder of any kind will be studied preoperatively, which according to our previous study will include more than 200 patients receiving psychopharmacological treatment. The specifics that characterize every patient's psychiatric trades will be included in a validated questionnaire constructed for that purpose. The questionnaire is called SCL-92 and has been chosen in collaboration with Professor in Psychiatry, Rigshospitalet Anders Fink-Jensen. Preoperative information regarding their mental condition and medicine will be linked to surgical outcome in order to identify potential hazards in the perioperative period.