Length of stay and its impact upon functional outcomes following lower limb arthroplasty

The aim was to investigate the interplay between patient characteristics and (1) length of hospital stay and (2) one-year patient-reported outcome following total knee and hip arthroplasty. Event (survival) analysis and structural equation modelling were performed for 1001 patients undergoing knee (n = 566) and hip (n = 435) arthroplasty in a single institution. Age, body mass index and co-morbidities were independent predictors of length of stay in both event analysis and structural equation modelling. These patient characteristics and type of arthroplasty had both small direct and indirect effects on patient-reported outcome measures at one year. Length of stay had a small effect (< 2 %) in SF-36 scores at one year. Predictors that influence length of stay also impact on one-year post-operative outcome and therefore should be taken into account during patient selection and discharge planning. Retrospective cohort study, Level III.