Patient safety is a critical issue in elective
total joint replacement surgery. Identifying risk factors that might
predict complications and intensive care unit (ICU) admission proves instrumental
in reducing morbidity and mortality. The institution’s experience
with risk stratification and pre-operative ICU triage has resulted
in a reduction in unplanned ICU admissions and post-operative complications
after total hip replacement. The application of the prediction tools
to total knee replacement has proven less robust so far. This work
also reviews areas for future research in patient safety and cost
containment. Cite this article:
