Return to duty and deployment after major joint arthroplasty

Area of Science:

• Orthopedic Surgery
• Military Medicine
• Rehabilitation Science

Background:

• Increasing incidence of total joint arthroplasty in younger populations.
• Need to evaluate functional outcomes and military deployability post-surgery.

Purpose of the Study:

• To assess return to duty rates after major joint arthroplasty.
• To determine combat zone deployment likelihood and functional outcomes in active service members.

Main Methods:

• Retrospective study of service members undergoing major joint arthroplasty.
• Utilized Short Musculoskeletal Function Assessment and deployment-specific questionnaires.
• Achieved 93.3% follow-up with an average of 4.5 years post-surgery.

Main Results:

• 86% of patients successfully returned to duty.
• At least 70% of those returning to duty could deploy to combat zones.
• All deployable patients completed their assigned tours without statistical differences in functional scores between deployed and non-deployed groups.

Conclusions:

• Total joint arthroplasty is an effective intervention for young, active individuals in the military.
• Appropriate surgical indication enables continued military careers and operational readiness.
• Functional outcomes support the viability of major joint arthroplasty in this demographic.