Factors associated with non-home discharge after total knee arthroplasty: Potential for cost savings?

INTRODUCTION: Increasing demand for total knee arthroplasties (TKA) has been targeted by legislation to minimize costs and maximize outcomes. Home discharges reduce costs, and it is important to determine patient variables associated with this discharge disposition. We explored non-modifiable and modifiable factors associated with non-home discharges to determine what patient specific factors require attention. METHODS: This retrospective study included 171,903 National Surgical Quality Improvement Program (NSQIP) patients between 2011 and 2016. Patient specific variables and discharge destinations included home, short-term nursing facilities (SNF), not home, and rehabilitation. Chi-squared analyses and analyses of variance (ANOVA) were conducted for categorical and continuous data, respectively. Multinomial regression model was utilized to assess associations between discharge destination and patient specific variables. RESULTS: Every year increase above the mean age (66 years) was associated with a nine percent (p < .001) and six percent (p < .001) increased odds for discharge to SNF or rehabilitation, respectively, compared to home discharges. Every 10% increase in BMI from the mean was associated with a 10% increase in discharge to both SNF and rehabilitation (p < .001 for both). CONCLUSION: With increasing demands for TKAs and expenditures to Medicare, evaluating factors that impact patient discharge can help optimize costs and outcomes of TKA procedures. Arthroplasty surgeons can benefit by recognizing these correlations and exploring reductions to non-home discharges through pre-operative patient optimization. Future studies should evaluate the economic cost potential associated with optimizing routine home discharge in TKA patients. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: IV.

Total Hip Arthroplasty: National Bearing Surface Trends for 20- to 50-Year-Old Patients.

INTRODUCTION: Total hip arthroplasty (THA) is reaching a broader spectrum of younger patients who struggle with incapacitating hip disease. This study aimed to explore national bearing surface trends for young THA recipients. Specifically, we evaluated bearing surface utilization, patient demographics, and hospital demographics in 20- to 50-year-old THA recipients in the United States from 2009 to 2016. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The National Inpatient Sample database was queried for patients aged 20 to 50 who underwent primary THA from 2009-2016 (n=279,190). Patients were grouped according to bearing surface type (metal-on-polyethylene [MOP], metal-on-metal [MOM], ceramic-on-ceramic [COC], and ceramic-on-polyethylene [COP]). Demographics included sex, age, race, obesity status, age-adjusted Charlson Comorbidity Index (CCI), primary payer, median household income, region, and teaching status. Chi-square analyses were employed for categorical variables, while independent t-tests were utilized for continuous variables. RESULTS: The incidence of THA for patients aged 20 to 50 increased slightly from 33,003 in 2009 to 33,545 in 2016 (p<0.001). Overall, bearing surface type was reported in 46.8% (n=127,876) of THAs. Of the THAs with bearing surface codes, the use of MOP (29.6 to 18.7%) and MOM (39.6 to 4.4%) decreased, while COC (9.0 to 14.3%) and COP (21.8 to 62.6%) utilization increased (p<0.001 for all). Those receiving COC implants had the youngest average age (42 years) (p<0.001). Females were more likely to receive COC (44.2%) or COP (43.6%) implants (p<0.001). Obese individuals were more likely to receive MOP (21.3%) or COP (21.2%) (p<0.001). CONCLUSION: Over an 8-year period, considerable shifts in bearing surface trends have occurred across the United States among 20 to 50-year-old patients. Advantages of ceramic femoral heads, along with increased acceptance of highly cross-linked polyethylene, appear to be reasons for the selection of COP over other bearing surfaces.