Reduced hospital stay and narcotic consumption, and improved mobilization with local and intraarticular infiltration after hip arthroplasty: A randomized clinical trial of an intraarticular technique versus epidural infusion in 80 patients

Figures & data

Flow chart of patients. ^a GA = general anesthesia.

Table 1.  Overall comparison of demographics and perioperative data (n = 75)

Characteristics	Group A (n = 38)	Group E (n = 37)
Sex (male / female), n	18 / 20	17 / 20
Age (years), mean (SD)	62 (14)	61 (13)
Body mass index (kg/m^2),
mean (SD)	27 (5)	26 (5)
ASA classification, n
I (normal healthy)	15	18
II (mild systemic disease)	19	18
III (severe systemic disease)	4	1
Living alone, n	14	9
Help from primary care
preoperatively, n	5	1
Preoperative hemoglobin
(mmol/L), mean (SD)	8.7 (0.6)	8.9 (0.7)
Postoperative hemoglobin
(mmol/L), mean (SD)	6.8 (0.8)	7.2 (0.9)
Day of surgery
Tuesday	19	18
Thursday	11	8
Friday	8	11
Duration of surgery (min),
mean (SD)	87 (24)	80 (20)
Type of prosthesis, n
Uncemented	21	22
Hybrid	5	3
Cemented	12	12

Table 2.  Maximum pain score obtained (VAS, 0–100 mm) and narcotic consumption (converted to morphine equivalents). Data are presented as median (interquartile range)

Outcome	Group A (n = 38)	Group E (n = 37)	P-value
Highest pain score at rest
2–20 h postoperatively	30 (12–33.5)	16 (6–40.5)	0.2
24–48 h postoperatively	8 (0–22.5)	20 (3.5–39)	0.02
52–96 h postoperatively	0 (0–0)	11 (5.5–24)	< 0.001
Highest pain score during coughing
2–20 h postoperatively	28 (14–41)	22 (7–45)	0.4
Highest pain score during mobilization
24–48 h postoperatively	27 (0–46)	42 (20–64.5)	0.04
52–96 h postoperatively	6 (0–26.25)	30 (15–45)	0.009
Morphine consumption, mg
Active treatment period (≤ 20 h)	17.5 (0–40.5)	26 (21–52)	0.004
Whole period until 96 h postoperatively	258 (167–366)	324 (221–543)	0.05

Table 3.  Overall comparison of side effects (n = 75)

Side effects	Group A (n = 38)	Group E (n = 37)	P-value
Nausea, n	8/38	14/37	0.1
Vomiting, n	2/38	8/37	0.05
Urinary retention
(20 h postoperatively), n	3/38	32/37	0.001
Itch, n	0/38	6/37	0.01
Constipation, n	5/38	24/37	< 0.001
^aBromage scale^a
0	38/38	19/37
1	–	15/37
2	–	2/37
3	–	1/37	< 0.001

^a Bromage scale  0= no motor block,  1= inability to raise extended legs,  2= inability to flex knees,  3= inability to flex ankle joints.