LAS VEGAS—Improved surgical, pain management, and rehabilitation procedures can allow patients who undergo a total hip replacement (THR) to safely drive as early as 2 weeks following surgery, according to new research presented at the 2015 Annual Meeting of the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons (AAOS).
Each year, more than 322,000 patients undergo hip replacement surgery in the United States. Previous studies, conducted more than a decade ago, recommended between 6 and 8 weeks of recovery before driving; however, recent advances in surgical treatment and care may have shortened this time frame. A shorter driving ban would allow patients to more quickly resume daily activities and return to work.
In this study, which appeared online November 2014 in the Journal of Arthroplasty, researchers evaluated 38 patients who underwent right THR between 2013 and 2014. Driving performance was evaluated using the Brake Reaction Test (BRT), which measures brake time reaction after a stimulus. All patients underwent preoperative assessment to establish a baseline reaction time, and then agreed to be retested at 2, 4, and 6 weeks after surgery. Patients were allowed to drive when their postoperative reaction time was equal to or less than their preoperative baseline reaction time. At each testing session patients were asked if they felt ready to drive again.
Of the 38 patients, 33 (87%) reached their baseline time within 2 weeks. The remaining patients (13%) reached their baseline at 4 weeks. Among the other findings of the study:
• There were no differences with respect to age, gender, or the use of assistance devices in terms of driving readiness.
• Of the 33 patients who tested ready to drive at 2 weeks, 24 (73%) stated that they felt ready to drive while 5 (15%) were not sure. Four patients (12%) reported that they did not feel ready to drive.
• Of the 5 patients who returned to driving at 4 weeks, 3 agreed that they were not able to drive at the 2-week mark, and the other 2 thought they were able to drive by 2 weeks.
“We found that brake reaction time returned to baseline or better in the vast majority of patients undergoing contemporary THR by 2 weeks following surgery, and all patients achieved a safe brake reaction time according to nationally recognized guidelines,” said lead study author and orthopedic surgeon Victor Hugo Hernandez, MD.
Dr. Hernandez said the “findings have allowed us to encourage patients to re-evaluate their driving ability as soon as 2 weeks after THR,” but warned that the study results “are based on our particular population, and caution should be taken in translating these results to the regular population.” In addition, patients should never drive if they are still taking narcotic pain medication.