Advertisement for orthosearch.org.uk
Results 1 - 1 of 1
Results per page:
Applied filters
Include Proceedings
Dates
Year From

Year To
Orthopaedic Proceedings
Vol. 94-B, Issue SUPP_XV | Pages 2 - 2
1 Apr 2012
Reston SC McDonald DA Seigmeth R Deakin AH Scott NB Kinninmonth AWG
Full Access

The CALEDonian Technique™, promoting enhanced recovery after surgery, is a multimodal multidisciplinary technique. This has demonstrated excellent analgesic control allowing early mobilisation and discharge following TKA, whilst maintaining patient safety.

All patients follow a planned programme beginning with pre-operative out-patient education at the pre-assessment visit. An anaesthetic regimen consisting of pre-emptive analgesia is combined with a spinal/epidural with propofol sedation. Intra-articular local anaesthetic soft tissue wound infiltration by the surgeon under direct vision is supplemented by post-operative high volume intermittent boluses via an intra-articular catheter. Early active mobilisation is positively encouraged.

A prospective audit of over 1000 patients demonstrated 35% of patients mobilised on day 0 and 95% by day 1, with rescue analgesia required in only 5% of cases. 79% of patients experienced no nausea or vomiting helping reduce length of stay from six to four postoperative days. A catheterisation rate of 7%, a DVT rate of 0.6% and a PE rate of 0.5% remained within or below previously published levels.

Laboratory studies examining the performance of the epidural filter and injection technique used for the post-operative intra-articular injections demonstrated this to be robust and effective at preventing bacterial ingress. This in-vitro data is supported by clinical results demonstrating no increase in the deep infection rate of 0.7% since the implementation of the technique at our institution.

We conclude that the CALEDonian Technique™ effectively and safely improves patient post-operative recovery following TKA.