Outcome of Preliminary Total Hip and Knee Arthroplasty Surgeries in Nnamdi Azikiwe University Teaching Hospital, Nnewi, South East Nigeria: A Retrospective Study

Abstract

Background: Total joint replacement is a major orthopaedic procedure. The aim is to alleviate pain, improve function, and correct disability in a diseased joint thereby improving health-related quality of life of the individual. Objectives: To review the outcome of total knee and hip replacement surgeries in Nnamdi Azikiwe University Teaching Hospital Nnewi, Anambra State, Nigeria. Materials and Methods: This is a retrospective analytic study on the outcome of total hip and knee joint replacement surgeries done from 2015 to 2019, at the Nnamdi Azikiwe University Teaching Hospital Nnewi, Anambra State, Nigeria. Relevant information, including pre and post-operative assessment scores, was obtained from the case files of patients. The data was analyzed using Statistical Package for Social Sciences SPSS version 20. Results: Twenty-three primary total joint replacements were done in 20 patients within the period studied. There were 5 males and 15 females giving a male-to-female ratio of 1:3. Mean age of the patients was 64.0 + 9.1 years, ranging from 15 years to 82 years. The indication for surgery in all the cases was severe osteoarthritis with deformities in 65% of cases. The mean duration of illness before intervention was 6 + 4 years ranging from 1 to 15 years. Short-term knee score improved from a mean of 24 to 45, while hip score improved from a mean of 54 to 95. Conclusion: The short-term results suggest a successful outcome with minimal complications. Total joint replacement was found to improve the clinical symptoms the patients presented with.