Osteoarthritis is the leading cause of pain and disability among the elderly and affects 15% of the population. Despite a range of treatments for osteoarthritis (OA), joint replacement remains the main treatment option for patients in whom the disease has progressed. The researchers aimed to assess the extent to which a predefined enhanced recovery after surgery (ERAS) program for orthopaedic surgical patients could be achieved, and to evaluate improvements in quality of care and patient outcome across three public hospitals in Victoria. They found that a multidisciplinary ERAS program could be successfully implemented in elective joint arthroplasty, leading to a shorter duration of hospital stay, and they recommend this orthopaedic ERAS pathway.
Reference: Christelis N, Wallace S, Sage CE, Babitu U, Liew S, Dugal J, Nyulasi I, Mutalima N, Tran T, Myles PS. An enhanced recovery after surgery program for hip and knee arthroplasty. Med J Aust. 2015 Apr 20;202(7):363-8.
The 'Dry July' fundraiser challenges you to go booze-free while
raising money to improve the wellbeing of adults living with cancer. Prof Harshal Nandurkar, new Head of the Australian Centre for Blood Diseases, and about whose drinking habits this blog editor knows nothing, has signed up for the dry month. Regardless of how much money Harshal raises, his liver will have a holiday, but in any event, please give generously!
