General or Regional Anesthesia for Hip Surgery
General or Regional Anesthesia for Hip Surgery
The purpose of this study is to determine whether general anaesthesia or regional anaesthesia
 is best for patients undergoing Total Hip Arthroplasty.
A randomized controlled trial (RCT) with a follow up time of 48 hrs. Patients scheduled for
 primary Total Hip Arthroplasty. A total of 120 patients randomly assigned to one of the two
 alternatives (general anaesthesia (GA) or regional anaesthesia (RA)).

 General anaesthesia compared to intrathecal anaesthesia will give shorter length of hospital
 stay (LOS) for patients undergoing total hip arthroplasty (THA).

 Primary endpoint:

 LOS.

 Secondary endpoints:

 Postoperative pain? Postoperative orthostatic function (dizziness) Time until the patient
 meets the discharge criteria from PACU How many patients will need at least one urinary
 bladder catheterisation
Inclusion Criteria: patients with osteoarthritis scheduled for surgery

 -  patients that will require THA

 -  patients over 45 yrs and under 85 yrs.

 -  patients that understand the given information and are willing to participate in this
 study

 -  patients who have signed the informed consent document.

 -  patients belonging to ASA class I-III.

 Exclusion Criteria:

 -  prior surgery to the same hip

 -  patients with a history of stroke, neurological or psychiatric disease that
 potentially could affect the perception of pain

 -  obesity (BMI > 35)

 -  active or suspected infection

 -  patients taking opioids or steroids

 -  patients suffering from rheumatoid arthritis or an immunological depression

 -  patients who are allergic to any of the drugs being used in this study