BENEFITS OF A CLINICAL PATHWAY IN TOTAL KNEE ARTHROPLASTY.

Area of Science:

• Orthopedic Surgery
• Healthcare Management
• Patient Safety

Background:

• Total Knee Arthroplasty (TKA) is a common procedure with significant impact on patient recovery and hospital resource utilization.
• Optimizing care pathways is crucial for improving patient outcomes and operational efficiency in orthopedic surgery.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the effectiveness of a multiprofessional Clinical Pathway Program in Total Knee Arthroplasty (CPPA) in optimizing hospital care.
• To assess the impact of CPPA implementation on key perioperative and postoperative indicators.

Main Methods:

• A retrospective study comparing 310 patients undergoing TKA.
• Group A (n=144) received care before CPPA implementation, while Group B (n=166) received care after CPPA implementation.
• Analysis of care indicators including hospitalization time, antibiotic use, ICU referral, thromboprophylaxis, rehabilitation initiation, readmissions, and transfusions.

Main Results:

• Group B showed significantly shorter hospitalization times (p<0.001) and reduced prophylactic antibiotic duration (p<0.001) compared to Group A.
• CPPA implementation led to a significant decrease in ICU referrals (p<0.001) and improved initiation of thromboprophylaxis (p<0.001) and rehabilitation (p<0.001).
• While readmission rates were similar, transfusions decreased in Group B (p=0.033).

Conclusions:

• The multiprofessional CPPA effectively enhanced the implementation of care protocols in TKA.
• The program contributed to improved patient safety and optimized hospital care delivery.
• CPPA represents a valuable strategy for improving TKA patient management and outcomes.