Table IX.
“Free-text” patient-reported complications (i.e. complications entered into a free-text box) six weeks following surgery. There was no significant difference between the 2019 and 2020 periods.
| Complication type | Category | 2019 | Complications, n (%) | 2020 | Complications, n (%) | p-value* |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Patients who underwent shoulder, hip, or knee arthroplasty, n | 1,699 | 1,361 | ||||
| Patients reporting one or more complications, n | 278 | 129 | ||||
| Grouped ‘free-text’ complications, n | 167 | 85 | 0.001 | |||
| Surgery-related | Pain, stiffness, redness, swelling, numbness, calf swelling (no DVT); of limited surgical significance. | 68 | 40.72 (4.00) | 36 | 42.35 (2.65) | 0.044 |
| Wound healing problems | 21 | 12.57 (1.23) | 10 | 11.76 (0.73) | 0.204 | |
| Cellulitis | 10 | 5.99 (0.59) | 2 | 2.35 (0.15) | 0.078 | |
| Infection | 8 | 4.79 (0.47) | 5 | 5.88 (0.37) | 0.783 | |
| Bleeding | 4 | 2.40 (0.24) | 1 | 1.18 (0.07) | 0.390 | |
| Stiffness needing MUA | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1.18 (0.07) | 0.445 | |
| Medical | Chest infection | 3 | 1.80 (1.77) | 0 | 0 | 0.259 |
| DVT | 3 | 1.80 (1.77) | 0 | 0 | 0.259 | |
| Cardiovascular (MI/arrhythmia) | 1 | 0.60 (0.06) | 1 | 1.18 (0.07) | 1.000 | |
| Urinary infection | 2 | 1.20 (0.12) | 3 | 3.53 (0.22) | 0.661 | |
| Nausea and vomiting | 2 | 1.20 (0.12) | 0 | 0 | 0.506 | |
| Constipation | 1 | 0.60 (0.06) | 3 | 3.53 (0.22) | 0.329 | |
| Others | Other (e.g. anaemia, analgesia sensitivity, mouth ulcers) | 28 | 16.77 (1.65) | 18 | 21.18 (1.32) | 0.550 |
| Unrelated to surgery and unknown | 10 | 5.99 (0.59) | 3 | 3.53 (0.22) | 0.163 | |
| Falls or other trauma | 5 | 2.99 (0.29) | 2 | 2.35 (0.15) | 0.472 | |
| General malaise | 1 | 0.60 (0.06) | 0 | 0 | 1.000 |
*
Fisher's exact test.
DVT, deep vein thrombosis; MI, myocardial infarction; MUA, manipulation under anaesthesia.