Abstract
To ascertain postoperative lifestyle in patients who undergo total hip arthroplasty (THA), a questionnaire surver was administered to 243 THA patients to clarify the relationship of lifestyle to: 1) time after surgery; and 2) residential modifications and improvements. In addition, 12 THA patients were visited at home to provide thorough and concrete guidelines for nursing assistance. Results of the questionnaire survey showed that risk of dislocation was significantly higher for patients who underwent THA>3 years earlier compared to other groups, confirming the necessity of follow-up observations.
In addition, risk of dislocation was significantly lower for patients who modified or improved their place of residence compared to other groups, suggesting that adjusting the living environment can help prevent dislocation. Furthermore, the results of home visits showed that some THA patients change their living environments using tools and modifying movements, while other THA patients who did not change their living environments repeatedly experienced dislocation. The results of the present study suggest that, besides ascertaining lifestyle pre- and post-operatively, providing individual guidance to match individuals with their living environments is necessary when providing care to patients who have undergone THA.
