FACTORS AFFECTING LENGTH OF STAY AND NEED FOR REHABILITATION AFTER HIP AND KNEE ARTHROPLASTY

The purpose of this study was to determine the factors that predict th e length of stay on a surgical service after total hip or knee arthrop lasty and the factors that predict whether a patient will require admi ssion to a rehabilitation unit before he or she is ready to return hom e. The authors reviewed the records of all patients admitted to the Al bany Medical Center for elective total hip or total knee arthroplasty in 1995. The study looked for correlations of patients' age, sex, mari tal status, body mass index, and comorbid illnesses with length of sta y on the surgical service and need for inpatient rehabilitation. The o nly factor that correlated with length of stay on the surgical unit wa s age. The factors that correlated with the need for inpatient rehabil itation were age and diabetes mellitus.