What Factors are Associated With Conversion to Knee Arthroplasty After Subchondroplasty?

BACKGROUND: Subchondral bone marrow lesions identified on knee MRI are believed to play a role in osteoarthritis-associated pain. The subchondroplasty procedure is an arthroscopically assisted procedure for treating such lesions to avoid larger procedures such as knee arthroplasty. However, the survivorship free of conversion to arthroplasty and the factors associated with an increased likelihood of conversion of subchondroplasty to arthroplasty have not been well defined. QUESTIONS/PURPOSES: We performed this study to (1) determine the 5-year survivorship of subchondroplasty free from conversion to knee arthroplasty (unicompartmental or total) and (2) identify variables that were associated with progression to knee arthroplasty after a subchondroplasty procedure. METHODS: In all, 216 patients who underwent a subchondroplasty procedure performed by one surgeon with subchondroplasty experience at a single-center, multilocation facility between September 2014 and August 2017 were retrospectively evaluated to estimate survivorship free from conversion to knee arthroplasty at 5 years. The mean ± SD age and BMI at the time of subchondroplasty procedure were 59 ± 11 years and 33 ± 8 kg/m 2 , respectively; 60% (129 of 216) of the patients were women. Other variables collected were smoking status and grade and location of chondral lesions. The electronic medical record was reviewed to determine whether the patient had a knee arthroplasty after subchondroplasty. Survivorship free from conversion to knee arthroplasty at 5 years was calculated from a Kaplan-Meier survivorship estimator. Factors associated with progression to knee arthroplasty were examined using t-tests and chi-square analyses. Variables showing evidence of an association with knee arthroplasty were explored further using a Kaplan-Meier survivorship estimator (n = 190). RESULTS: Kaplan-Meier survivorship free from conversion to knee arthroplasty was 73% (95% CI 67% to 79%) at 5 years after subchondroplasty. We found that age older than 50 years and Grade 4 chondral lesions were associated with conversion to knee arthroplasty. Patients with a Grade 4 chondral lesion had 5-year survivorship of 62% (95% CI 54% to 71%) and 59% (95% CI 50% to 69%) for those older than 50 years with a Grade 4 chondral lesion. CONCLUSION: Currently, we recommend a detailed, informed discussion of the risks versus benefits with patients who are considering a subchondroplasty procedure, particularly patients aged 50 years and older and those with Grade 4 chondral lesions. Future randomized trials, including those that compare the subchondroplasty procedure with arthroscopy alone or nonoperative management options, are still needed to confirm the efficacy and role of the subchondroplasty procedure in patients with knee osteoarthritis, because only such prospective studies can determine the success of the procedure. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: Level IV, therapeutic study.

Robotic-assisted total knee arthroplasty: Is there a maximum level of efficiency for the operating surgeon?

Aims: Recent studies have attempted to quantify the learning curve associated with integration of robotic technology into surgical practice, but to our knowledge, no study has demonstrated the number of cases needed to reach a steady state of maximum efficiency in operating times using robotic assisted technology. Patients and methods: This was a retrospective analysis of 682 consecutive knees that underwent a robotic-assisted TKA for osteoarthritis by a single surgeon between 2017 and 2020. Procedure times (minutes), length of stay (LOS), and short-term postoperative complications and reoperations were analyzed to define trends. Time series analyses were used to identify the approximate time-point at which a maximum level of surgical operating speed was achieved. Analysis of Variance (ANOVA) and chi-square analyses then followed to compare average procedure duration, LOS, and complications across distinct moving groups of 50 procedures. Results: Time series analyses suggest substantially improved times by the 50th procedure and reached a stable plateau between the 150th and 200th procedure. Average duration for the first 50 procedures was approximately 85 min, dropping to 69 min for procedures 51-100, 66 min for procedures 101-150, and then plateauing at approximately 61 min for procedures 151-682, demonstrating significant improvements in surgical efficiency at each 50-procedure interval (p < 0.05). There was no significant difference in LOS, readmissions, and reoperations with increasing groups of 50 procedures performed. Conclusion: Results from this study will allow surgeons to better understand the implications of integrating robotic arm-assisted technology into their practice. Surgeons can expect significant improvement of their operative time following completion of at least 50 procedures, while likely reaching a maximum level of surgical efficiency between 151 and 200 procedures.

Occupational Hazards for the Practicing Orthopaedic Surgeon: A Standard Review.

LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: Level V.

Health-related quality of life outcomes after surgical treatment of atypical femur fractures: a multicenter retrospective cohort study.

The objective of this study was to examine the health-related quality of life (HRQOL) outcomes for surgically-treated atypical femur fractures (AFFs) compared to typical femoral diaphyseal fractures. Two large trauma center databases were retrospectively queried for surgically-treated femur fractures. Fractures were grouped into AFFs and compared to a control cohort. Controls for the AFF group included women with diaphyseal fractures without additional AFF characteristics. Patients were contacted for administration of the Short Form-36v2 Health Survey. Surveys were completed an average of 30.3 months (range, 6-138 months) and 25.5 months (range, 5-77 months) postoperatively for the AFF and non-AFF groups, respectively. All patients were female, with 46 patients in the AFF and 26 patients in the non-AFF group. The average age of the AFF group was 70.1 years compared with an average age of 67.4 years in the non-AFF group (p = 0.287). Over 90% (91.3%) of patients in the AFF group had a history of bisphosphonate use while 26.9% of patients in the non-AFF group had used bisphosphonates (p < 0.0001). Patients with AFF reported their postoperative physical and mental health to be no different than similarly aged patients with femoral diaphyseal fractures, as measured by the Short Form 36, version 2 (SF-36v2) Health Survey. These data suggest that mid-term patient-reported quality of life outcomes are similar among women who sustain an AFF compared to a cohort of more typical femoral diaphyseal fractures. © 2021 The Authors. JBMR Plus published by Wiley Periodicals LLC. on behalf of American Society for Bone and Mineral Research.

Outpatient total hip and knee arthroplasty exhibit similar early complication rates to inpatient procedures.

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to compare early post-operative complications and readmissions between total joint arthroplasty (TJA) patients completed as outpatient versus inpatient procedures. METHODS: A review of 2648 primary total hip arthroplasty (THA) and total knee arthroplasty (TKA) patients between 2015 and 2019 was performed. Patients who underwent same-day discharge were matched to the inpatient cohort using age, gender, body mass index (BMI), and smoking status. American Society of Anesthesiologists (ASA) Scores were calculated for the two cohorts. A total of 234 matched pairs (468 knees) for the TKA cohort and 132 matched pairs (264 hips) for the THA cohort were identified. Data was collected for six months after surgery for 30- and 90-day readmissions, the occurrence of reoperations, revisions, deep vein thrombosis (DVT), pulmonary embolism (PE), falls within 90 days, fractures, infections and dislocations. RESULTS: The average age for TJA patients was 60 years, with an average BMI of 32, 58% females, and 51.5% who reported never smoking. Post-operative fall risk was higher in the inpatient TKA cohort compared to the same-day cohort (3.0% vs 0.4%, p = 0.032) as was the risk of 90-day readmission (6.0% vs 2.1%, p = 0.034), respectively. These differences were also observed in the combined THA and TKA cohorts. CONCLUSIONS: We report no increase in reoperations, revisions, 30 or 90-day readmissions, deep vein thrombosis (DVT), pulmonary embolism (PE), fractures, infections or dislocations in the outpatient cohort. Early complications and readmissions of patients who underwent TJA as same-day surgeries compared favorably to a matched cohort of inpatients.

Understanding Nail Gun Injuries in Orthopedics: Mechanisms and Treatment.

Nail gun injuries are common among users, and most frequently involve the hands and lower extremities. A wide variation in costs and time are missed from work due to these injuries, and training on the proper use of nail guns has been shown to decrease workplace-related injuries. Minimal long-term disability can be expected, and orthopedic evaluations provide an opportunity to inform patients on proper use of these devices. In this article, management of nail gun injuries is discussed, including the necessity for a high suspicion for wound contamination because foreign material is often deposited with the nail, as well as treatment with debridement and antibiotics. [Orthopedics. 2019; 42(5):e410-e414.].

Improving Orthopedic Patient Outcomes: A Model to Predict 30-Day and 90-Day Readmission Rates Following Total Joint Arthroplasty.

BACKGROUND: Over the next 10-15 years, there is expected to be an exponential increase in the number of total joint arthroplasties in the American population. This, combined with rising costs of total joint arthroplasty and more recent changes to the reimbursement payment models, increases the demand to perform quality, cost-effective total joint arthroplasties. The purpose of this study is to build models that could be used to estimate the 30-day and 90-day readmission rates for patients undergoing total joint arthroplasty. METHODS: A retrospective review of patients admitted to a single hospital, over the course of 56 months, for total joint arthroplasty was performed. The goal is to identify patients with readmission in a 30-day or 90-day period following discharge from the hospital. Binary logistic regression was used to build predictive models that estimate the likelihood of readmission based on a patient's risk factors. RESULTS: Of 5732 patients identified for this study, 237 were readmitted within 30 days, while 547 were readmitted within 90 days. Age, body mass index, gender, discharge disposition, occurrence of cardiac dysrhythmias and heart failure, emergency department visits, psychiatric diagnoses, and medication counts were all found to be associated with 30-day admission rates. Similar associations were found at 90 days, with the exclusion of age and psychiatric drug use, and the inclusion of intravenous drug abuse, narcotic medications, and total joint arthroplasty within 12 months. CONCLUSION: There are patient variables, or risk factors, that serve to predict the likelihood of readmission following total joint arthroplasty.

Massive Gluteal Muscle Necrosis after Iliac Arterial Embolization in Pelvic Trauma: A Literature Review and Illustrative Case Report.

INTRODUCTION: Traumatic pelvic injuries causing retroperitoneal bleeding can be managed with angiographic embolization. This procedure carries a small but potentially devastating risk of gluteal muscle necrosis. CASE REPORT: An 18-year-old trauma patient suffered from massive gluteal muscle necrosis following angiographic embolization for hemorrhage from pelvic fracture was reported. CONCLUSION: To limit morbidity and mortality, the orthopedic surgeon should have a high suspicion for gluteal muscle necrosis to allow for early diagnosis and then treatment with decompression and debridement.

Mycobacterium abscessus: A Rare Cause of Periprosthetic Knee Joint Infection.

A 61-year-old woman with a periprosthetic knee joint infection caused by Mycobacterium abscessus was successfully treated with surgical débridement, multidrug antimicrobial therapy, and staged reimplantation. To the authors' knowledge, this represents the first report of successfully treating this organism after knee arthroplasty. M. abscessus knee infections are rare, and there are no specific guidelines to inform treatment or successful treatment regimens for periprosthetic knee infections. Medical management alone was not successful in this case and hence cannot be recommended. Using a collaborative multidisciplinary approach, including surgical débridement, staged reimplantation, and multidrug antimicrobials, successful eradication of the periprosthetic joint infection caused by M. abscessus was achieved.

Efficacy of Arthroscopic Teaching Methods: A Prospective Randomized Controlled Study.

Arthroscopic education research recently has been focused on the use of skills labs to facilitate resident education and objective measure development to gauge technical skill. This study evaluates the effectiveness of three different teaching methods. Medical students were randomized into three groups. The first group received only classroom-based lecture. The second group received the same lecture and 28 minutes of lab-based hands-off arthroscopy instruction using a cadaver and arthroscopy setup. The final group received the same lecture and 7 minutes of hands-on arthroscopy instruction in the lab on a cadaver knee. The arthroscopic knee exam that followed simulated a diagnostic knee exam and subjects were measured on task completion and by the number of look downs. The number of look downs and the number of tasks completed did not achieve statistical significance between groups. Posttest survey results revealed that the hands-on group placed significantly more value on their educational experience as compared with the other two groups. (Journal of Surgical Orthopaedic Advances.

Topical Tranexamic Acid in Total Knee Arthroplasty Patients with Increased Thromboembolic Risk.

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the efficacy and safety profiles of topical tranexamic acid (TXA) in patients undergoing elective total knee arthroplasty (TKA) with comorbid conditions precluding them from intravenous (IV) TXA use. A total of 104 patients were divided into two groups: 47 in the normal-risk group and 57 in the high-risk group, with the latter representing those with one or more risk factors for venous thromboembolism (VTE). Demographics were similar between groups, and there were no differences with regard to postoperative changes in hemoglobin (- 3.42 g/dL ± 1.07 and - 3.68 g/dL ± 1.07, p = 0.214), total drain output (630.2 mL ± 331.6 and 566.9 mL ± 343.9, p = 0.344), postoperative transfusion rate (2.1 and 3.5%, p = 0.675), or total number of complications 3 (6.5%) and 5 (8.8%) for the normal- and high-risk groups, respectively (p = 0.671). Topical TXA exhibited a similar safety and efficacy profile in reducing postoperative blood loss in a group of patients at increased thromboembolic risk, without a significant increase in complications or thromboembolic events. Topical TXA appears to represent a safe and efficacious alternative to IV TXA in patients at high risk for VTE undergoing TKA.

The Extended Direct Anterior Approach for Column Augmentation in the Deficient Pelvis: A Novel Surgical Technique, and Case Series Report.

BACKGROUND: Anterior column deficiency of the pelvis may pose a serious threat to the stability of the acetabular component after total hip arthroplasty and, thus, jeopardize the overall success of the procedure. METHODS: After Institutional Review Board approval, a retrospective review was undertaken to identify all patients undergoing revision total hip arthroplasty with anterior column augmentation through an extended direct anterior approach. Demographics and surgical details were collected, and subjects were followed for a 2-year minimum period to measure patient outcomes and to evaluate for the stability of construct fixation. A novel surgical procedure description was provided and supplemented with an illustrative case example. RESULTS: At 2 years post augmentation, patients had favorable functional outcomes with radiologic evidence of stable fixation. CONCLUSION: Proximal extension of the direct anterior approach to the hip can facilitate anterior column access and augmentation to improve stability of the hip reconstruction. This treatment may be an alternative to spanning constructs such as cup-cage constructs and custom implants, affording the potential for long-term biologic fixation. Further investigation into this technique is warranted.

Catastrophic Femoral Neck Failure after THA with the Accolade(®) I Stem in Three Patients.

CASE DESCRIPTION: We report a series of three femoral stem failures, each occurring at the head-neck junction, with all patients experiencing limited and painful ambulation, leading to subsequent revision arthroplasty. All patients were male with high-offset femoral stems and increased head lengths, and each had undergone primary THA at a minimum of 7 years before presentation (average, 94 months). There were no associated deep infections or cases of aseptic loosening in the cohort. LITERATURE REVIEW: There is a paucity of similar reports in the literature regarding femoral stem failure at the head-neck junction. When failures of titanium stems have been reported, failure has been attributed to material design and geometry, laser etching, overload, implant alignment, and patient characteristics. PURPOSE AND CLINICAL RELEVANCE: Catastrophic failures of femoral stems at the head-neck junction are a rare cause for revision after THA. Component material and design, surgical technique, and patient factors may contribute.

Comparison of intravenous versus topical tranexamic acid in total knee arthroplasty: a prospective randomized study.

The purpose of this study was to compare the efficacy of topical Tranexamic Acid (TXA) versus Intravenous (IV) Tranexamic Acid for reduction of blood loss following primary total knee arthroplasty (TKA). This prospective randomized study involved 89 patients comparing topical administration of 2.0g TXA, versus IV administration of 10mg/kg. There were no differences between the two groups with regard to patient demographics or perioperative function. The primary outcome measure, perioperative change in hemoglobin level, showed a decrease of 3.06 ± 1.02 in the IV group and 3.42 ± 1.07 in the topical group (P = 0.108). There were no statistical differences between the groups in preoperative hemoglobin level, lowest postoperative hemoglobin level, or total drain output. One patient in the topical group required blood transfusion (P = 0.342). Based on our study, topical Tranexamic Acid has similar efficacy to IV Tranexamic Acid for TKA patients.