Patient variability and the design of clinical pathways after primary total hip replacement surgery

Objective data are necessary for the design of clinical pathways of total hip replacement (THR) surgery. The functional recovery and timing for hospital discharge was studied in a consecutive series of 65 patients undergoing primary THR. The Modified Barthel Index (MBI) was serially measured after surgery to assess the recovery of functional independence. A MBI score of 90 out of a maximum of 100 is required before patients are fit for hospital discharge. The length of hospital stay varied from 5 days to 39 days. Fifty-eight percent of patients were fit for discharge by day 8, and 42% required 10 days or longer (mean = 14.2 days) in hospital. Patients in these two groups differed significantly with respect to age, the number of associated comorbidities, preoperative and early MBI scores, and muscle strength parameters. These data suggest that there is wide variability in patients presenting for primary THR. One single clinical pathway may not accommodate this patient variability, whereas two clinical pathways (one with a day 8 and another with an extended [day 10 +] time frame) may be more appropriate.