Post-surgery and recovery experiences following one- and two-stage revision for prosthetic joint infection-A qualitative study of patients' experiences.

Deep prosthetic hip infection is a devastating complication of hip replacement surgery, and treatment often involves multiple revision surgeries with antibiotic chemotherapy to control the infection. The aim of this study was to explore patients' experiences of early and longer-term recovery after one-stage or two-stage revision with an excised hip, a temporary cement spacer or a custom-made articulating spacer. We interviewed 32 participants taking part in a surgical trial at two time points (2-4 months and 18 months) following one- or two-stage revision surgery. The analytic approach was inductive using the constant comparative method to generate themes from the data. Participants' early recovery after revision was characterised by a long hospital stay with burdensome antibiotics and limited physiotherapy provision. Participants undergoing two-stage revision with an excised hip or a cement spacer described severe mobility restrictions which affected all aspects of their lives, while those undergoing one-stage revision, or two-stage revision with an articulating spacer were more mobile and independent, with some limitations. Participants with a cement spacer also reported more pain than other treatment groups, while those with an articulating spacer appeared to perceive that their recovery was slow. At 18 months, participants in all groups described both improvements and losses in mobility and functional ability. Participants in all treatment groups expressed considerable emotional resilience during recovery from revision, which may be linked to opportunities to talk with the trial personnel. Participants identified the need for better information and psychological and physical support. Experience of recovery differs after one- and two-stage revision, and further in relation to the use of spacers. Mobility, function, independence and pain are important aspects of recovery which affect all aspects of day-to-day life. Increased information and more opportunities to talk and share experiences may provide psychological support during recovery.

Symptoms Associated With Long-term Double-J Ureteral Stenting and Influence of Biofilms.

OBJECTIVE: To assess the symptoms associated with long-term Double-J ureteral stenting including the influence of biofilms on ureteral stents. METHODS: Patients with long-term (>8 weeks) uni- or bilateral ureteral stents completed the Ureteral Stent Symptoms Questionnaire (USSQ) at the day of stent exchange. Repeated assessment of patients was possible to allow for analysis of intraindividual changes. Assessment of biofilm mass on the stents was performed according to a validated method, its correlation with the USSQ total score was defined as primary outcome. Secondary outcomes included further analyses of stent-associated symptoms and their temporal course. RESULTS: A total of 87 stent indwelling periods in 35 patients were investigated. Median USSQ total score did not differ significantly between unilateral and bilateral stenting (42 vs 39 points; P = .17). An increasing total stent treatment time up to study inclusion did not correlate with the USSQ total score, but was significantly correlated with less urinary symptoms and a better quality of life. USSQ total score and subscores within individual patients did not significantly increase or decrease over the sequence of stent indwelling periods. Higher total biofilm masses were not associated with higher USSQ total scores or subscores. CONCLUSION: Long-term Double-J stenting provides a valuable treatment option, if stent-associated symptoms are low during the initial indwelling period. Thus, symptoms remain stable over the long-term course and the majority of patients are satisfied with the treatment. Furthermore, biofilm formation on ureteral stents does not seem to be the relevant driver of symptoms.

Infection after knee replacement: a qualitative study of impact of periprosthetic knee infection.

BACKGROUND: Approximately 340,000 knee replacements are performed each year in the USA and UK. Around 1% of patients who have had knee replacement develop deep infection around the prosthesis: periprosthetic knee infection. Treatment often requires a combination of one or more major operations and antibiotic therapy. This study aimed to understand and characterise patients' experiences of periprosthetic knee infection. METHODS: Qualitative semi-structured interviews were conducted with 16 patients (9 men, 7 women; 59-80 years, mean age 72) who experienced periprosthetic knee infection and subsequent revision treatment in six National Health Service orthopaedic departments. Interviews were audio-recorded, transcribed, anonymised and analysed thematically. The concept of biographical disruption was used to frame our analysis, and four transcripts double-coded for rigour. Patients were interviewed between two and 10 months after surgical revision. RESULTS: Participant experiences can be characterised according to three aspects of biographical disruption which we have used to frame our analysis: onset and the problem of recognition; emerging disability and the problem of uncertainty, and chronic illness and the mobilisation of resources. Participants' experiences of infection and treatment varied, but everyone who took part reported that infection and revision treatment had devastating effects on them. Participants described use of social and healthcare support and a need for more support. Some participants thought that the symptoms that they had first presented with had not been taken seriously enough. CONCLUSIONS: Periprosthetic knee infection and its treatment can be life-changing for patients, and there is a need for greater support throughout treatment and lengthy recovery. Future work could look at preparedness for adverse outcomes, help-seeking in impactful situations, and information for healthcare professionals about early signs and care for periprosthetic infection.

Perioperative Inpatient Use of Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors Is Associated With a Reduced Risk of THA and TKA Revision.

BACKGROUND: Depression is common in the general population, and so it is likewise common among patients undergoing THA and TKA. Depression is associated with lower perioperative patient-reported outcomes and an increased risk of postoperative complications. Antidepressants are effective in managing symptoms of depression and may potentially contribute to better functional status and better clinical outcomes after THA and TKA. QUESTIONS/PURPOSES: We examined (1) whether perioperative depression is associated with all-cause revisions, revisions for aseptic loosening, revisions without infection, and periprosthetic joint infections (PJIs) in patients undergoing THA and TKA; and (2) whether perioperative antidepressant use reduces the risk of all-cause revisions, revisions for aseptic loosening, aseptic revisions, and PJIs in patients undergoing THA and TKA. METHODS: This was a retrospective study of adult patients (≥ 18 years) who underwent 20,112 primary and revision THAs and TKAs from January 1, 2002, through December 31, 2009, at a large US tertiary care hospital. Data on patient and surgery characteristics and outcomes (dates and types of revisions, death) were ascertained through the institutional joint registry. Perioperative antidepressant use was assessed by searching the daily medication administration records beginning at admission and ending at discharge. A diagnosis of depression was present in 4466 (22%), and antidepressants were administered at the time of 5077 (25%) surgical procedures. Multivariable Cox proportional hazard models were used to estimate associations between antidepressant use and the risk of all-cause revisions, revisions for aseptic loosening, aseptic revisions, and PJIs. RESULTS: Depression was associated with an increased risk of all-cause revisions (hazard ratio [HR], 1.73; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.42-2.02; p < 0.001) and PJIs (HR, 2.23; 95% CI, 1.53-3.17; p < 0.001). Overall, perioperative antidepressant use was not associated with the risk of revision or PJI, but selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor (SSRI) users had a lower risk of all-cause revisions (HR, 0.77; 95% CI, 0.61-0.96; p = 0.001) and aseptic revisions (HR, 0.72; 95% CI, 0.56-0.93; p = 0.013). CONCLUSIONS: The presence of a depression diagnosis confers an increased risk of revision and PJI among patients undergoing THA and TKA, yet the risk is lower within the subset of patients who received SSRIs during the perioperative period. Future longitudinal studies with detailed antidepressant medication histories are warranted to better understand the potential biologic effects of SSRI on the risk of revision in patients undergoing THA and TKA. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: Level III, therapeutic study.

Health Care Needs and Support for Patients Undergoing Treatment for Prosthetic Joint Infection following Hip or Knee Arthroplasty: A Systematic Review.

BACKGROUND: Hip and knee arthroplasty are common interventions for the treatment of joint conditions, most notably osteoarthritis. Although many patients benefit from surgery, approximately 1% of patients develop infection afterwards known as deep prosthetic joint infection (PJI), which often requires further major surgery. OBJECTIVE: To assess support needs of patients undergoing treatment for PJI following hip or knee arthroplasty and to identify and evaluate what interventions are routinely offered to support such patients. DESIGN: Systematic review. DATA SOURCES: MEDLINE, EMBASE, Web of Science, PsycINFO, Cinahl, Social Science Citation Index, The Cochrane Library, and reference lists of relevant studies from January 01, 1980 to October 05, 2016. SELECTION CRITERIA: Observational (prospective or retrospective cohort, nested case-control or case-control) studies, qualitative studies, or clinical trials conducted in patients treated for PJI and/or other major adverse occurrences following hip or knee arthroplasty. REVIEW METHODS: Data were extracted by two independent investigators and consensus was reached with involvement of a third. Given the heterogeneous nature of study designs, methods, and limited number of studies, a narrative synthesis is presented. RESULTS: Of 4,213 potentially relevant citations, we identified one case-control, one prospective cohort and two qualitative studies for inclusion in the synthesis. Patients report that PJI and treatment had a profoundly negative impact affecting physical, emotional, social and economic aspects of their lives. No study evaluated support interventions. CONCLUSION: The findings demonstrate that patients undergoing treatment for PJI have extensive physical, psychological, social and economic support needs. The interpretation of study results is limited by variation in study design, outcome measures and the small number of relevant eligible studies. However, our review highlights a lack of evidence about support strategies for patients undergoing treatment for PJI and other adverse occurrences following hip or knee arthroplasty. There is a need to design, implement and evaluate interventions to support these patients. SYSTEMATIC REVIEW REGISTRATION: PROSPERO 2015: CRD42015027175.

The impact of vascular surgery wound complications on quality of life.

OBJECTIVE: In addition to traditional surgical outcomes, perioperative quality of life is being scrutinized as a patient-centric metric. As part of a prospective study in a contemporary surgical cohort, subjective health states were examined in context of postoperative wound complications (WCs). We hypothesized that WCs negatively affect quality of life. METHODS: The EuroQol (EQ)-5D subjective health state data, comprising five domains with 1 (good) to 3 (poor) ordinal scoring, plus visual analog score, were collected at the day of surgery and at 2 and 4 weeks of follow-up in a study evaluating silver-eluting dressings in 500 patients at three centers. A preference-weighted index was calculated. Groups were defined by no complication (NC) or presence of one or more postoperative WCs. RESULTS: Patients (72% male) were a mean age of 67.6 years. Primary indications included critical limb ischemia (41.4%), claudication (31.6%), and abdominal aortic aneurysm (11.2%; open groin access for endovascular aneurysm repair). At least one WC occurred in 148 patients (29.6%). Baseline demographics were similar except mean age (NC group, 67.9 years; WC group, 65.7 years; P = .042) and body mass index (NC group, 27.0 kg/m2; WC group, 28.2 kg/m2). WCs were associated with use of conduit for reconstruction (P = .002), below-knee incisions (P = .002), and incision length (P < .001). Compared with the NC group, there was a decrement in quality-of-life scores in the WC group at 2 weeks (mean change, -0.217; P = .001) but not at 4 weeks (mean change, +0.044; P = .065) postoperatively. Subgroup analysis showed quality-of-life change after WC was most significant in the claudication group (P = .008). The EQ-5D visual analog scale score was lowest in groups with rest pain (57.0) and tissue loss (55.1) and highest in the abdominal aortic aneurysm cohort (71.8). CONCLUSIONS: EQ-5D identified a significantly decreased quality-of-life score 2 weeks after WCs in a cohort undergoing elective infrainguinal arterial surgery. This effect was not present 4 weeks postoperatively.

Measuring Outcomes: Pain and Quality of Life 48 Months After Acute Postoperative Total Knee Prosthetic Joint Infection.

BACKGROUND: Measuring HRQOL is simple, inexpensive, permits the health status to be measured over time, and is useful to compare or initiate treatments and evaluate results, facilitating homogenization in patient inclusion. OBJECTIVES: To evaluate disease-specific and generic HRQOL and influence of associated factors in patients undergoing open debridement for acute postsurgical knee prosthetic joint infection after TKR at 12 and 48 months after completing antibiotic treatment and considered cured of infection. METHODS: Health-related quality-of-life measures were administered at baseline (WOMAC) and 12 and 48 months (WOMAC and SF-36) in patients with prosthesis retention, no symptoms of infection, and CRP (≤ 1 mg/dL). RESULTS: Thirty patients were included, and 24 were evaluated at 48 months. WOMAC scores improved significantly (P < 0.01) at 12 and 48 months. The effect size was 0.72 for stiffness, 2.01 for pain, and 2.15 for function. At 48 months, improvements were greater (P < 0.02) except for stiffness. The most frequently isolated microorganisms were Staphylococcus aureus (14 patients) and coagulase-negative staphylococci (9 patients). SF-36 physical role, bodily pain, emotional role, and mental health dimension scores at 12 and 48 months were significantly worse in patients with isolates of Staphylococcus aureus (P < 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: Health-related quality-of-life measures detected significant differences in outcomes in patients infected by S. aureus compared with patients infected by other microorganisms. HRQOL measures may provide useful complementary information on outcomes after acute postoperative infection.

Arthrodesis should be strongly considered after failed two-stage reimplantation TKA.

BACKGROUND: A two-stage reimplantation procedure is a well-accepted procedure for management of first-time infected total knee arthroplasty (TKA). However, there is a lack of consensus on the treatment of subsequent reinfections. QUESTIONS/PURPOSES: The purpose of this study was to perform a decision analysis to determine the treatment method likely to yield the highest quality of life for a patient after a failed two-stage reimplantation. METHODS: We performed a systematic review to estimate the expected success rates of a two-stage reimplantation procedure, chronic suppression, arthrodesis, and amputation for treatment of infected TKA. To determine utility values of the various possible health states that could arise after two-stage revision, we used previously published values and methods to determine the utility and disutility tolls for each treatment option and performed a decision tree analysis using the TreeAgePro 2012 software suite (Williamstown, MA, USA). These values were subsequently varied to perform sensitivity analyses, determining thresholds at which different treatment options prevailed. RESULTS: Overall, the composite success rate for two-stage reimplantation was 79.1% (range, 33.3%-100%). The utility (successful outcome) and disutility toll (cost for treatment) for two-stage reimplantation were determined to be 0.473 and 0.20, respectively; the toll for undergoing chronic suppression was set at 0.05; the utility for arthrodesis was 0.740 and for amputation 0.423. We set the utilities for subsequent two-stage revision and other surgical procedures by subtracting the disutility toll from the utility each time another procedure was performed. The two-way sensitivity analysis varied the utility status after an additional two-stage reimplantation (0.47-0.99) and chance of a successful two-stage reimplantation (45%-95%). The model was then extended to a three-way sensitivity analysis twice: once by setting the variable arthrodesis utility at a value of 0.47 and once more by setting utility of two-stage reimplantation at 0.05 over the same range of values on both axes. Knee arthrodesis emerged as the treatment most likely to yield the highest expected utility (quality of life) after initially failing a two-stage revision. For a repeat two-stage revision to be favored, the utility of that second two-stage revision had to substantially exceed the published utility of primary TKA of 0.84 and the probability of achieving infection control had to exceed 90%. CONCLUSIONS: Based on best available evidence, knee arthrodesis should be strongly considered as the treatment of choice for patients who have persistent infected TKA after a failed two-stage reimplantation procedure. We recognize that particular circumstances such as severe bone loss can preclude or limit the applicability of fusion as an option and that individual clinical circumstances must always dictate the best treatment, but where arthrodesis is practical, our model supports it as the best approach.

Cardiac device complications in the cognitively impaired.

BACKGROUND: Patients with preexisting mild cognitive impairment or dementia may be at increased risk for developing cardiac device complications due to an impaired ability to follow postimplant care instructions. We sought to determine whether rates of infection, lead dislodgement, or appropriate or inappropriate implantable cardioverter defibrillator (ICD) shocks are increased in this population. METHODS: Medical charts of 561 patients with mild cognitive impairment or dementia who underwent pacemaker (PM) or ICD implantation between January 2002 and October 2009 at Mayo Clinic were identified. A total of 134 patients who were diagnosed with cognitive impairment or dementia before device implantation or within 1 year of implantation were compared with 134 matched controls. Information was collected on patient characteristics, comorbid medical conditions, ejection fraction, complications, device type, device therapy, and mortality. Device information was prospectively entered into a database and retrospectively reviewed. RESULTS: Of the 134 patients with mild cognitive impairment and dementia, 99 underwent PM implantation and 35 underwent ICD implantation. Compared to controls, there was no difference in patient characteristics, ejection fraction, or comorbidities except for diabetes, which was more prevalent in the cognitively impaired and demented group (18.7% vs 30.6%, P = 0.02). There was no difference in device therapy and complications (14.4% vs 5.8%, P = 0.268). However, there was a decreased survival in patients with cognitive impairment and dementia when compared to the control group (42% vs 67% at 5 years, P = 0.007). CONCLUSION: Patients with cognitive impairment and standard device indications are not at increased risk for device complications and therapy but their survival is much lower than in matched controls. The cause of this lower survival is unknown but may be related to the underlying neurological disease. Presence of cognitive impairment should therefore be considered when contemplating implantation of a cardiac device.

Patient perceptions of osteomyelitis, septic arthritis and prosthetic joint infection: the psychological influence of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus.

INTRODUCTION: Patients form their own representations of their illness, which can be important determinants of their coping and influence outcome. Our aims were to (i) assess patient perceptions of osteomyelitis, septic arthritis and prosthetic joint infection, (ii) compare perceptions of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) with non-MRSA infection and (iii) investigate the emotional aspects of these infections. METHODS: A questionnaire was developed from the 'Illness Perception Questionnaire' of Weinman et al.with additional questions assessing emotional response. This was offered to all patients with osteomyelitis, septic arthritis and prosthetic joint infection attending the Liverpool Hospital Infectious Diseases Outpatient Clinic during a 3-month period. RESULTS: There were 91 respondents--25 with MRSA infection, 14 with MRSA colonization and 52 without MRSA. Seventy-nine per cent of all respondents felt that their infection was very serious and 76% felt their infection had had major consequences on their life. On multivariate analysis MRSA was associated with a greater emotional effect; the consequences and emotional effects of infection were greater in younger people and prosthetic joint infection was associated with less sense of control or cure. CONCLUSION: Osteomyelitis, septic arthritis and prosthetic joint infection have a significant effect on an individual. Ongoing support and education are important, particularly for the young, those with prosthetic joint infection and patients with MRSA.