Initial experience with Bulgarian Arthroplasty Register

Abstract

Introduction: National arthroplasty registries date back to 1975, when the Swedish Knee Arthroplasty Register was founded. This method of database collecting has since been employed for both patient follow-up and the creation of annual statistical reports. In Bulgaria, there is currently no state-approved software that offers these features. Aim: The current study aimed to report on the preliminary findings from our use of the OrthoWave software and the launch of the first Bulgarian registry for arthroplasty. Materials and methods: Using the OrthoWave program, we gathered data on 215 patients who underwent 218 surgical procedures for hip and knee replacement in the Orthopedics and Traumatology Clinic at Tsaritsa Joanna University Hospital, ISUL, between November 2022 and August 2023. Both demographic indicators (sex, age, and BMI) and characteristics of the surgical procedure (intervention execution time, approach used, type and size of prosthesis) were gathered and analyzed. Results: All subjects had a mean BMI of 29.3 kg/m², calculated using OrthoWave’s statistical analysis system. The average weight during surgery was 93 kg, with an average height of 176 cm. The mean age of patients at the time of surgery was 66.11 years. Sex distribution of patients with hip replacement was as follows: 61.38% of them were men and 32.62% were women. Women accounted for 58.9% of all patients with knee endoprostheses, while operated men accounted for 41.1%. Conclusion: In the era of evidence-based medicine, the form of register is crucial for further development of the orthopedic specialty. Our initial experience is promising, and we are looking forward to its development on a national level.