Elastic Compression Dressing after Total Hip Replacement Slightly Reduces Leg Swelling: A Randomized Controlled Trial

Area of Science:

• Orthopedic Surgery
• Surgical Innovation
• Patient Recovery

Background:

• Minimally invasive fast-track surgery aims to improve patient comfort after total hip replacement (THR).
• Adverse reactions like leg swelling and blood loss can compromise recovery.
• The efficacy of spica hip compression dressings after primary THR remains controversial due to a lack of prospective studies.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the effectiveness of compression dressings in reducing postoperative leg swelling and blood loss after primary THR.
• To assess the impact on transfusion rates in patients undergoing THR.

Main Methods:

• A prospective, randomized controlled trial (RCT) involving 306 patients undergoing primary THR for osteoarthritis.
• Leg swelling was measured using a 3D infrared body scanner.
• Blood loss was estimated using Nadler and Gross formulas; transfusion rates were recorded.

Main Results:

• Patients in the compression group experienced significantly lower postoperative leg swelling (p=0.01).
• Estimated blood loss was lower in the compression group on postoperative days 1 and 3 (p=0.05, p=0.04), but significance was lost after adjustment.
• No transfusions were required in either group.

Conclusions:

• Compression dressing following THR slightly reduces postoperative leg swelling.
• The use of compression dressings does not significantly affect blood loss or the need for blood transfusions.
• Compression dressings are not generally recommended for primary hip replacement procedures.