The AAHKS Clinical Research Award: Are Minimum Two-Year Patient-Reported Outcome Measures Necessary for Accurate Assessment of Patient Outcomes After Primary Total Knee Arthroplasty?

BACKGROUND: The two-year minimum follow-up after total knee arthroplasty (TKA) required by most academic journals is based on implant survivorship studies rather than patient-reported outcome measures (PROMs). Additionally, the COVID-19 pandemic placed an unprecedented burden on patients and staff and halted asymptomatic surveillance clinic visits to minimize exposure. The purpose of this study was to determine if clinically meaningful differences were observed in PROMs beyond one year after TKA. METHODS: A retrospective review was performed on prospectively collected PROMs after 1093 primary TKAs at a suburban academic center. PROMs related to pain, function, activity level, and satisfaction were compared by subsequent follow-up intervals preoperatively, at 4 months, 1 year, and minimum 2 years using paired data analysis techniques. RESULTS: Pain with level walking and while climbing stairs improved from preoperative levels to 4-month, 1-year, and minimum 2-year follow-up. The University of California Los Angeles activity level and Knee Injury and Osteoarthritis Outcome Score for Joint Replacement improved over the same intervals. Patient satisfaction improved over postoperative follow-up intervals (84.0%, 87.3%, and 90.9%). While PROMs improved with statistical and clinical significance preoperatively to 4-month to 1-year follow-up, improvements from 1-year to minimum 2-year follow-up were small and did not reach minimum clinically important differences for nearly all PROMs, demonstrating significant overlap of the 95% confidence intervals. CONCLUSION: While long-term follow-up after TKA remains important for implant survivorship, it appears that one-year PROMs are as clinically reliable and meaningful as two-year PROMs. Therefore, it is reasonable to question the currently accepted 2-year minimum follow-up requirement used in peer-reviewed research involving PROMs. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: Level III.

Techniques and Strategies to Optimize Efficiencies in the Office and Operating Room: Getting Through the Patient Backlog and Preserving Hospital Resources.

The effects of the coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic are pervasive and have decreased the volume of hip and knee arthroplasty procedures since the mandated cessation of elective surgical procedures at the height of the pandemic in early 2020. Therefore, a backlog of patients in need of these elective procedures is a probable consequence and increased productivity and efficiency in patient care delivery is essential now and into the future. This article outlines multiple strategies and techniques to develop and optimize efficiency in the hip and knee arthroplasty practice. Techniques for increasing surgical efficiency are detailed, along with perioperative strategies in the hospital, ambulatory surgery center, and office settings are outlined and discussed.

Current Practice Trends in Primary Hip and Knee Arthroplasties Among Members of the American Association of Hip and Knee Surgeons: An Update During the COVID-19 Pandemic.

At the hybrid 2020 Annual Meeting of the American Association of Hip and Knee Surgeons, an audience response poll was conducted to determine current practice patterns among its members. The poll was completed via a mobile application (ie, app) due to the COVID-19 pandemic, and allowed both in-person and virtual attendees to provide responses to multiple choice questions related to practice patterns pertaining to primary total hip arthroplasties and primary total knee arthroplasties. Moreover, results were compared to findings from previous polls.

Safety of Same and Next Day Discharge Following Revision Hip and Knee Arthroplasty Using Modern Perioperative Protocols.

BACKGROUND: Advances in perioperative care have enabled early discharge and outpatient primary total joint arthroplasty (TJA). However, the safety of early discharge after revision TJA (rTJA) remains unknown and the COVID-19 pandemic will force decreased hospitalization. This study compared 90-day outcomes in patients undergoing aseptic rTJA discharged the same or next day (early) to those discharged 2 or 3 days postoperatively (later). METHODS: In total, 530 aseptic rTJAs performed at a single tertiary care referral center (December 5, 2011 to December 30, 2019) were identified. Early and later discharge patients were matched as closely as possible on procedure type, sex, American Society of Anesthesiologists physical status classification, age, and body mass index. All patients were optimized using modern perioperative protocols. The rate of 90-day emergency department (ED) visits and hospital admissions was compared between groups. RESULTS: In total, 183 early discharge rTJAs (54 hips, 129 knees) in 178 patients were matched to 183 later discharge rTJAs (71 hips, 112 knees) in 165 patients. Sixty-two percent of the sample was female, with an overall average age and body mass index of 63 ± 9.9 (range: 18-92) years and 32 ± 6.9 (range: 18-58) kg/m2. There was no statistical difference in 90-day ED visit rates between early (6/178, 3.4%) and later (11/165, 6.7%) discharge patients (P = .214). Ninety-day hospital admission rates for early (7/178, 3.9%) and later (4/165, 2.4%) discharges did not differ (P = .545). CONCLUSION: Using modern perioperative protocols with appropriate patient selection, early discharge following aseptic rTJA does not increase 90-day readmissions or ED visits. As hospital inpatient capacity remains limited due to COVID-19, select rTJA patients may safely discharge home the same or next day to preserve hospital beds and resources for more critical illness.

Resource Reallocation during the COVID-19 Pandemic in a Suburban Hospital System: Implications for Outpatient Hip and Knee Arthroplasty.

The COVID pandemic of 2020 has emerged as a global threat to patients, health care providers, and to the global economy. Owing to this particular novel and highly infectious strain of coronavirus, the rapid community spread and clinical severity of the subsequent respiratory syndrome created a substantial strain on hospitals and health care systems around the world. The rapid surge of patients presenting over a small period for emergent clinical care, admission to the hospital, and intensive care units with many requiring mechanically assisted ventilators for respiratory support demonstrated the potential to overwhelm health care workers, hospitals, and health care systems. The purpose of this article is to describe an effective system for redeployment of health care supplies, resources, and personnel to hospitals within a suburban academic hospital system to optimize the care of COVID patients, while treating orthopedic patients in an equally ideal setting to maximize their surgical and clinical care. This article will provide a particular focus on the current and future role of a specialty hip and knee hospital and its partnering ambulatory surgery center in the context of an outpatient arthroplasty program.