Related Experiment Video
Updated: Apr 17, 2026
The Transition to an Anterior-Based Muscle Sparing Approach Improves Early Postoperative Function but is Associated with a Learning Curve
Published on: September 7, 2022
Rapid recovery protocols for primary total hip arthroplasty can safely reduce length of stay without increasing
Jeffrey B Stambough1, Ryan M Nunley1, Madelyn C Curry1
1Washington University School of Medicine, Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, St. Louis, Missouri.
Abstract:
We sought to investigate the impact of incremental perioperative recovery protocol changes on hospital LOS and readmission rates associated with primary THAs. A total of 1751 cases were assigned to one of four protocol cohorts across 13 years: traditional, enhanced pain management, early mobility, and rapid recovery (RR). LOS significantly decreased between sequential eras and by 52% between the traditional and RR pathways (IRR=0.48; 95% CI 0.44, 0.53; P<0.0001) without an overall increase in 30-day readmission rates (P=0.13). The odds of readmission for THAs performed under the RR pathway were almost one-third those of the traditional era (OR=0.36; 95% CI 0.14, 0.93; P=0.04). Accelerated clinical care protocols should be considered for most patients undergoing primary THA.
