Perioperative Complications in Elective Knee Replacement Surgery at Lagos University Teaching Hospital

Total knee replacement is an effective surgical intervention for advanced osteoarthritis of the knee but carries perioperative risks that must be carefully managed to optimise outcomes. This retrospective descriptive study reviews perioperative complications occurring within 30 days of elective total knee replacement surgery performed at the Lagos University Teaching Hospital (LUTH), South West Nigeria, over a four-year period. Case records will be examined for patient demographics, American Society of Anesthesiologists (ASA) classification, operative details, intra-operative events, and post-operative complications including deep vein thrombosis, pulmonary embolism, wound infection, implant malposition, blood transfusion requirements, and readmission rates. The study will also assess adherence to venous thromboembolism prophylaxis protocols. Statistical analysis will involve descriptive frequencies and multivariate regression to identify predictors of complication occurrence. It is hypothesised that comorbidities such as hypertension, diabetes mellitus, and obesity are significant independent risk factors for complications. Findings will be submitted to the orthopaedic department at LUTH to inform peri-operative care pathway improvements and risk stratification tools. As the volume of knee replacement procedures grows in Nigeria, generating local outcome data is essential for ensuring patient safety and benchmarking performance against international standards. This research supports the advancement of elective orthopaedic surgery practice in South West Nigeria. Keywords: total knee replacement, perioperative complications, arthroplasty, Lagos, deep vein thrombosis.