HAKA: Routine Follow-Up at 1 Year After Hip- or Knee Arthroplasty: Wasting Resources or Appropriate Healthcare?

After undergoing total hip or total knee arthroplasty, current guidelines recommend routine follow-up with an X-ray within 3 months and again at 1 year. Follow-up at 5 years (for hip arthroplasties) or every 5 years (for knee arthroplasties) is also considered worthwhile according to the guideline. However, these follow-up appointments require considerable time from patients, caregivers, and healthcare professionals, and it is unclear whether they are truly beneficial. It is possible that a single follow-up within 3 months is sufficient. This could potentially prevent over 100,000 unnecessary hospital visits per year, resulting in significant cost savings. If patients or healthcare providers have concerns, they can always request an additional follow-up. The HAKA trial consists of three different work packages (WPs). This trial (WP1) investigates the 1-year follow-up, WP2 examines the 10-year follow-up, and WP3 is a qualitative study exploring the experiences and perceptions of patients and healthcare professionals. The aim of the HAKA trial is to safely reduce routine follow-up appointments after total hip or knee arthroplasty and to revise current clinical guidelines accordingly.

NCT Number	NCT06971757
Lead Sponsor	JointResearch Collaborators: Reinier Haga Orthopedisch Centrum, Tergooi MC
Conditions	Hip Arthroplasty, Total, Knee Arthroplasty, Total
Enrollment	1,000 participants
Start Date	2025-07-01
Primary Completion	2028-08-31 (estimated)
Study Completion	2029-12-31 (estimated)
Updated on ClinicalTrials.gov	2025-11-18