[Perioperative epidemiology of total hip arthroplasty]

An increasing number of patients require a prosthesis as a result of the increased physical demand seen in older patients, and the earlier diagnosis of conditions associated with hip arthrosis. It's therefore essential to know the activity of various physiologic variables affecting the perioperative behavior of patients undergoing total hip arthroplasty.

An epidemiologic study was conducted to identify the absolute and relative frequencies of various variables during the perioperative period of total hip arthroplasty. The medical records of 142 patients who underwent total hip arthroplasty were analyzed.

Of the 142 records analyzed, 91 cases were females (64.1%) and 51 males (35.9%); mean BMI was 27.16 kg/m2 (SD +/- 3.98); 101 patients (71.1%) were overweight. The median preoperative Hb was 14.61 g/dl (range: 11-18.8 g/dl); the mean postoperative Hb was 10.76 g/dl (SD +/- 1.56). The mean maximum permissible bleeding was 1,433.88 ml (SD +/- 436.39). The median operative time was 150 minutes (range: 90-420 min).

We have to find ways to decrease the risk of major bleeding and thus avoid blood transfusions by knowing the characteristics of patients about to undergo total hip arthroplasty.