Early Prosthetic Hip Dislocation: Does the Timing of the Dislocation Matter?

BACKGROUND: Early dislocation following total hip arthroplasty (THA) is a common reason for revision. The purpose of this study was to determine if the acuity of the dislocation episode affects the risk of revision surgery. METHODS: A retrospective review of a national, all-payer administrative database comprised of claims from 2010 to 2020 was used to identify patients who had a prosthetic hip dislocation at various postoperative time intervals (0 to 7, 7 to 30, 30 to 60, and 60 to 90 days). Of the 45,352 primary unilateral THA patients who had sufficient follow-up, there were 2,878 dislocations within 90 days. Dislocators were matched 1:1 based on age, sex, and a comorbidity index with a control group (no dislocation). Demographics, surgical indications, comorbidities, ten-year revision rates, and complications were compared among cohorts. Multivariable logistic regression analysis was performed to identify risk factors for revision THA following early dislocation. RESULTS: Among matched cohorts, dislocation at any time interval was associated with significantly increased odds of subsequent 10-years revision (OR [odds ratio] = 25.60 to 33.4, P < .001). Acute dislocators within 7 days did not have an increased risk of all cause revisions at 10 years relative to other early dislocators. Revision for indication of instability decreased with time to first dislocation (<7 days: 85.7% versus 60 to 90 days: 53.9%). Primary diagnoses of posttraumatic arthritis (OR = 2.53 [1.84 to 3.49], P < .001), hip fracture (OR = 3.8 [2.53 to 5.72], P < .001), and osteonecrosis (OR = 1.75 [1.12 to 2.73], P = .010) were most commonly associated with revision surgery after an early dislocation. CONCLUSIONS: Dislocation within 90 days of THA is associated with increased odds of subsequent revision. Early dislocation within 7 days of surgery has similar all cause revision-free survivorship, but an increased risk of a subsequent revision for instability when compared to patients who dislocated within 7 to 90 days.

Fretting and Tribocorrosion of Modular Dual Mobility Liners: Role of Design, Microstructure, and Malseating.

BACKGROUND: Modular dual mobility (DM) bearings have a junction between a cobalt chrome alloy (CoCrMo) liner and titanium shell, and the risk of tribocorrosion at this interface remains a concern. The purpose of this study was to determine whether liner malseating and liner designs are associated with taper tribocorrosion. METHODS: We evaluated 28 retrieved modular DM implants with a mean in situ duration of 14.6 months (range, 1 to 83). There were 2 manufacturers included (12 and 16 liners, respectively). Liners were considered malseated if a distinct divergence between the liner and shell was present on postoperative radiographs. Tribocorrosion was analyzed qualitatively with the modified Goldberg Score and quantitatively with an optical coordinate-measuring machine. An acetabular shell per manufacturer was sectioned for metallographic analysis. RESULTS: There were 6 implants (22%) that had severe grade 4 corrosion, 6 (22%) had moderate grade 3, 11 (41%) had mild grade 2, and 5 (18.5%) had grade 1 or no visible corrosion. The average volumetric material loss at the taper was 0.086 ± 0.19 mm3. There were 7 liners (25%) that had radiographic evidence of malseating, and all were of a single design (P = .01). The 2 liner designs were fundamentally different from one another with respect to the cobalt chrome alloy type, taper surface finish, and shape deviations. Malseating was an independent risk factor for increased volumetric material loss (P = .017). CONCLUSIONS: DM tribocorrosion with quantifiable material loss occurred more commonly in malseated liners. Specific design characteristics may make liners more prone to malseating, and the interplay between seating mechanics, liner characteristics, and patient factors likely contributes to the shell/liner tribocorrosion environment. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: Level III.

Contralateral Total Hip Arthroplasty Staged Within Six Weeks Increases the Risk of Adverse Events Compared to Unilateral Surgery.

BACKGROUND: The ideal timing for bilateral total hip arthroplasty (THA) remains controversial. This study compared 90-day outcomes after simultaneous bilateral THA and contralateral surgery in staged bilateral THA to a matched cohort of unilateral procedures. METHODS: Patients undergoing primary, elective THA during 2015 to 2020 were reviewed in a national database. Of the 273,281 patients identified, 39,905 (14.6%) were bilateral. Patients were divided into cohorts of unilateral THA, simultaneous bilateral THA, and staged bilateral THA at 1 to 14 days, 15 to 42 days, 43 to 90 days, and 91 to 365 days. Bilateral THA cohorts were matched with unilateral THA patients based on demographics and comorbidities. Ninety-day outcomes after the second THA were compared between matched groups. RESULTS: Simultaneous bilateral THA resulted in higher rates of transfusion (odds ratio [OR] 4.43, 95% confidence interval 2.31-2.63, P < .001), readmission (OR 2.60, 2.01-3.39, P < .001), and any complication (OR 1.86, 1.55-2.24, P < .001) compared to unilateral THA. Contralateral THA staged at 1 to 14 days increased the risk of readmission (OR 1.83, 1.49-2.24, P < .001) and any complication (OR 1.45, 1.26-1.66, P < .001) relative to unilateral THA. Contralateral THA staged at 15 to 42 days increased the risk of periprosthetic joint infection (OR 3.15, 1.98-5.19, P < .001), readmission (OR 1.92, 1.55-2.39, P < .001), and any complication (OR 1.70, 1.46-1.97, P < .001). Contralateral THA staged beyond 42 days resulted in similar or decreased rates of adverse events relative to unilateral THA. CONCLUSIONS: Bilateral THA should be staged a minimum of 6 weeks apart in appropriately selected patients to avoid an increased risk of adverse events after the second THA compared to unilateral THA.

Mid-Term Performance of the First Mass-Produced Three-Dimensional Printed Cementless Tibia in the United States as Reported in the American Joint Replacement Registry.

BACKGROUND: Cementless tibial components have shown improvements in clinical performance compared to predicate designs, though evidence supporting mid-term performance and fixation is scarce. The purpose of this study is to determine the mid-term survivorships, revision rates, and reasons why 3-dimensional printed cementless tibial baseplates (3DTKAs) failed compared to other cementless as well as cemented tibial baseplates reported from the American Joint Replacement Registry (AJRR) data. METHODS: All primary total knee arthroplasty (TKA) cases performed in patients 65 years of age or older within the AJRR from January 2, 2012 through June 30, 2020 were queried. A total of 28,631 3DTKAs were identified from 428 institutions. These were compared to all other "aggregated cementless tibia" (n = 7,577) and "aggregated cemented tibia" (n = 550,133) cases. Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services data over the same time period were merged with AJRR data to determine survivorship and patient-timed incident revision rates per 1,000 years. Failure reasons were tracked during this study period. RESULTS: At 60 months, Kaplan-Meier implant survivorship was 98.9% (CI 98.7-99.0), 98.3% (CI 97.9-98.6), and 98.4% (CI 98.4-98.5) in the 3DTKA, aggregate cementless, and cemented knee cohorts, respectively (P < .0001). Patient-timed incident revision rates were 3.11 (CI 2.75-3.53), 3.99 (CI 3.34-4.76), and 3.35 (CI 3.28-3.42) for those cohorts, which corresponds to a revision rate of 0.31%, 0.40%, and 0.34% per year. CONCLUSION: In this analysis, 3DTKA had favorable survivorship and lower revision rates compared to aggregate cementless and cemented TKAs implanted from the same national database during the same time period.

Cementless Total Knee Arthroplasty is Associated With Early Aseptic Loosening in a Large National Database.

BACKGROUND: Despite excellent longevity demonstrated in institutional studies, outcomes after cementless total knee arthroplasty (TKA) on a population level remain unknown. This study compares 2-year outcomes between cemented and cementless TKA using a large national database. METHODS: A large national database was used to identify 294,485 patients undergoing primary TKA from January 2015 to December 2018. Patients who had osteoporosis or inflammatory arthritis were excluded. Cementless and cemented TKA patients were matched one-to-one based on age, Elixhauser Comorbidity Index, sex, and year yielding matched cohorts of 10,580 patients. Outcomes at 90 days, 1 year, and 2 years postoperatively were compared between groups, and Kaplan-Meier analysis was used to evaluate implant survival rates. RESULTS: At 1 year postoperatively, cementless TKA was associated with an increased rate of any reoperation (odds ratio [OR] 1.47, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.12-1.92, P = .005) compared to cemented TKA. At 2 years postoperatively, there was an increased risk of revision for aseptic loosening (OR 2.34, CI 1.47-3.85, P < .001) and any reoperation (OR 1.29, CI 1.04-1.59, P = .019) after cementless TKA. Two-year revision rates for infection, fracture, and patella resurfacing were similar between cohorts. CONCLUSION: In this large national database, cementless fixation is an independent risk factor for aseptic loosening requiring revision and any reoperation within 2 years after primary TKA.

Vitamin D3 Supplementation Prior to Total Knee Arthroplasty: A Randomized Controlled Trial.

BACKGROUND: The purpose of this randomized controlled trial was to determine if a one-time dose of vitamin D3 prior to total knee arthroplasty improves function and patient-reported outcomes, while decreasing complications. METHODS: One hundred seven patients undergoing primary total knee arthroplasty were randomized to receive 50,000 international units vitamin D3 (57 patients) or placebo (50 patients) on the morning of surgery. Power analysis determined 45 patients were required in each cohort to detect a minimal clinically important difference of 6 points in the functional component of the 2011 version of the Knee Society Score (KSS), assuming an alpha of 0.05 and power of 80%. KSS and a Timed Up and Go Test (TUGT) were measured preoperatively and at 3 and 6 weeks postoperatively. RESULTS: There was no difference in improvement of KSS at 3 weeks (+4.8 points vitamin D3 versus +3.0 points placebo; P = .6) or 6 weeks (+14.5 points vitamin D3 versus +12.4 points placebo; P = .5) from baseline. There was no difference in change in TUGT at 3 weeks (+1.2 seconds vitamin D3 versus +0.6 seconds placebo; P = .6) or 6 weeks (-0.3 seconds vitamin D3 versus -0.9 seconds placebo; P = .6) from baseline. There were 4 complications in the placebo cohort within the first 90 days postoperatively and 5 complications in the vitamin D3 cohort (P = 1.0). CONCLUSION: Supplementation with 50,000 international units vitamin D3 on the day of surgery failed to demonstrate statistical significant differences in functional KSS, TUGT times, or complications in the early postoperative period compared to placebo. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: Level I, therapeutic study.

Dual-Mobility versus Large Femoral Heads in Revision Total Hip Arthroplasty: Interim Analysis of a Randomized Controlled Trial.

BACKGROUND: This multicenter randomized controlled trial evaluated if dual-mobility bearings (DM) lower the risk of dislocation compared to large femoral heads (≥36 mm) for patients undergoing revision total hip arthroplasty (THA) via a posterior approach. METHODS: A total of 146 patients were randomized to a DM (n = 76; 46 mm median effective head size, range 36 to 59 mm) or a large femoral head (n = 70; twenty-five 36 mm heads [35.7%], forty-one 40 mm heads [58.6%], and four 44 mm heads [5.7%]). There were 71 single-component revisions (48.6%), 39 both-component revisions (26.7%), 24 reimplantations of THA after 2-stage revision (16.4%), seven isolated head and liner exchanges (4.8%), four conversions of hemiarthroplasty (2.7%), and 1 revision of a hip resurfacing (0.7%). Power analysis determined that 161 patients were required in each group to lower the dislocation rate from 8.4 to 2.2% (power = 0.8, alpha = 0.05). RESULTS: At a mean of 18.2 months (range, 1.4 to 48.2), there were three dislocations in the large femoral head group compared to two in the DM cohort (4.3 versus 2.6%; P = .67). One patient in the large head group and none in the DM group were successfully treated with closed reduction without subsequent revision. CONCLUSION: Interim analysis of this randomized controlled trial found no difference in the risk of dislocation between DM and large femoral heads in revision THA, although the rate of dislocation was lower than anticipated and continued follow-up is needed.

The Effectiveness of Closed-Incision Negative-Pressure Therapy Versus Silver-Impregnated Dressings in Mitigating Surgical Site Complications in High-Risk Patients After Revision Knee Arthroplasty: The PROMISES Randomized Controlled Trial.

BACKGROUND: Revision total knee arthroplasty (rTKA) is associated with significant risk of wound-related morbidity. The present study aimed to evaluate the 1) efficacy of closed-incision negative-pressure therapy (ciNPT) vs silver-impregnated antimicrobial dressing (AMD) in mitigating postoperative surgical site complications (SSCs), 2) the effect of ciNPT vs AMD on certain postoperative health utilization parameters, and on 3) patient-reported outcomes (PROs) improvement at 90-day postoperative follow-up. METHODS: This multicenter randomized controlled trial was conducted between December 2017 and August 2019. Patients ≥22 years, at high risk for SSC, and receiving rTKA with full exchange and reimplantation of new prosthetic components or open reduction and internal fixation of periprosthetic fractures were screened for inclusion. Eligible patients were randomized to receive a commercially available ciNPT system or a silver-impregnated AMD (n = 147, each) for minimum of 5-day duration. Primary outcome was the 90-day incidence of SSCs with stratification in accordance with revision type (aseptic/septic). Secondary outcomes were the 90-day health care utilization parameters (readmission, reoperation, dressing changes, and visits) and PROs. RESULTS: Of 294 patients randomized (age: 64.9 ± 9.0 years, female: 59.6%), 242 (82.0%) patients completed the study (ciNPT: n = 124; AMD: n = 118). The incidence of 90-day SSCs was lower for the ciNPT cohort (ciNPT: 3.4% vs AMD: 14.3%; odds ratio (OR): 0.22, 95% confidence interval (0.08, 0.59); P = .0013). Readmission rates (3.4% vs 10.2%, OR: 0.30(0.11, 0.86); P = .0208) and mean dressing changes (1.1 ± 0.3 vs 1.3 ± 1.0; P = .0003) were lower with ciNPT. The differences in reoperation rates, number of visits, and PRO improvement between both arms were not statistically significant (P > .05). CONCLUSION: ciNPT is effective in reducing the 90-day postoperative SSCs, readmission, and number of dressing changes after rTKA. Recommending routine implementation would require true-cost analyses.

Primary Total Knee Arthroplasty Performed Using High-Viscosity Cement is Associated With Higher Odds of Revision for Aseptic Loosening.

BACKGROUND: Aseptic loosening (AL) is the most common reason for revision total knee arthroplasty (TKA). An association between high-viscosity cement (HVC) and AL has been suggested by small, uncontrolled, case series. This study sought to determine whether HVC use during primary TKA is independently associated with AL requiring revision. METHODS: We retrospectively analyzed a prospectively collected institutional knee registry to identify all primary TKAs from January 2007 to December 2016. Patients with less than 2 years of follow-up were excluded. Cement type was divided into 2 groups: HVC and low-viscosity cement. Potential confounders including age, body mass index, preoperative diagnosis, antibiotics in the cement, and implant type were recorded. Multivariable logistic regression analysis was used to determine whether HVC is independently associated with revision for AL. RESULTS: In total, 10,014 patients were included. Revision for AL was significantly higher in the HVC cohort (91/4790; 1.9%) vs the low-viscosity cement cohort (48/5224; 0.92%) (P < .001). Logistic regression demonstrated HVC to be independently associated with higher odds of revision for AL (odds ratio 2.26, 95% confidence interval 1.58-3.22, P < .001). Younger age was also associated with higher odds of revision for AL (odds ratio 0.96, 95% confidence interval 0.94-0.98, P < .001). Body mass index, gender, laterality, preoperative diagnosis, and antibiotics in the cement were not associated with revision for AL. Implant manufacturer, implant design, and cement brand all impacted the odds of undergoing revision for AL. CONCLUSION: Although HVC is an attractive option for use in primary TKA, this appropriately controlled study demonstrates higher odds of revision for AL when using HVC with multiple different implant types.

Dilute Betadine Lavage Reduces the Risk of Acute Postoperative Periprosthetic Joint Infection in Aseptic Revision Total Knee and Hip Arthroplasty: A Randomized Controlled Trial.

BACKGROUND: The purpose of this randomized, controlled trial is to determine whether dilute betadine lavage compared to normal saline lavage reduces the rate of acute postoperative periprosthetic joint infection (PJI) in aseptic revision total knee (TKA) and hip arthroplasty (THA). METHODS: A total of 478 patients undergoing aseptic revision TKA and THA were randomized to receive a 3-minute dilute betadine lavage (0.35%) or normal saline lavage before surgical wound closure. Fifteen patients were excluded following randomization (3.1%) and six were lost to follow-up (1.3%), leaving 457 patients available for study. Of them, 234 patients (153 knees, 81 hips) received normal saline lavage and 223 (144 knees, 79 hips) received dilute betadine lavage. The primary outcome was PJI within 90 days of surgery with a secondary assessment of 90-day wound complications. A priori power analysis determined that 285 patients per group were needed to detect a reduction in the rate of PJI from 5% to 1% with 80% power and alpha of 0.05. RESULTS: There were eight infections in the saline group and 1 in the betadine group (3.4% vs 0.4%, P = .038). There was no difference in wound complications between groups (1.3% vs 0%, P = .248). There were no differences in any baseline demographics or type of revision procedure between groups, suggesting appropriate randomization. CONCLUSION: Dilute betadine lavage before surgical wound closure in aseptic revision TKA and THA appears to be a simple, safe, and effective measure to reduce the risk of acute postoperative PJI. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: Level I.

Does Femoral Morphology Predict the Risk of Periprosthetic Fracture After Cementless Total Hip Arthroplasty?

BACKGROUND: Periprosthetic femur fracture remains a leading mode of early failure following cementless total hip arthroplasty (THA). The purpose of this study is to determine if a specific femoral morphology is associated with an increased risk of acute, periprosthetic fracture after cementless THA. METHODS: An institutional arthroplasty registry was used to identify 32 primary, cementless THAs revised for acute, postoperative periprosthetic fracture ("fracture" cohort) within 3 months of the index procedure. Patients were matched 1:2 to 64 THAs without fracture ("control" cohort) for age, body mass index, gender, and stem design. Preoperative radiographic measurements performed on anteroposterior pelvis and femur radiographs included the neck-shaft angle, endosteal width at 4 locations, and external cortical diameter at 2 locations. These measurements were used to calculate the morphological cortical index, canal flare index, canal calcar ratio, and canal bone ratio. Postoperative measurements included canal fill and stem alignment. Statistical analyses included clustered regressions, Fisher's exact test, and Student's t-test. RESULTS: The mean endosteal width at 10 cm distal to the lesser trochanter was greater in fracture patients, although not statistically significant (P = .1). However, this resulted in differences in the canal flare index (P = .03), canal calcar ratio (P = .03), and canal bone ratio (P = .03) between the 2 cohorts. These ratios indicate decreased meta-diaphyseal taper in fracture patients. Preoperative femoral neck-shaft angle was more varus in fracture patients (P = .04). CONCLUSION: Patients sustaining an acute, periprosthetic fracture with cementless femoral fixation after THA had thinner distal cortices and a decreased meta-diaphyseal taper.

Are Postoperative Hip Precautions Necessary After Primary Total Hip Arthroplasty Using a Posterior Approach? Preliminary Results of a Prospective Randomized Trial.

BACKGROUND: It is unclear whether posterior hip precautions after primary total hip arthroplasty (THA) reduce the incidence of early postoperative dislocation. METHODS: We performed a prospective randomized study to evaluate the effect of hip precautions on incidence of early dislocation after primary THA using a posterior approach. Between January 2016 and April 2019, 587 patients (594 hips) were consented and randomized into restricted or unrestricted groups. No significant demographic or surgical differences existed between groups. The restricted group was instructed to refrain from hip flexion >90°, adduction across midline, and internal rotation for 6 weeks. 98.5% (585 of 594) of hips were available for minimum 6-week follow-up (291 restricted and 294 unrestricted). Power analysis showed that 579 hips per group are needed to demonstrate an increase in dislocation rate from 0.5% to 2.5% with 80% power. RESULTS: At average follow-up of 15 weeks (range, 6-88), there were 5 dislocations (incidence, 0.85%). Three posterior dislocations occurred in the restricted group at a mean of 32 days (range, 17-47), and 2 posterior dislocations occurred in the unrestricted group at a mean of 112 days (range, 21-203), with no difference in dislocation rate between groups (1.03% vs 0.68%; odds ratio, 0.658; 95% confidence interval, 0.11-3.96; P = .647). At 6 weeks, unrestricted patients endorsed less difficulty with activities of daily living, earlier return to driving, and more time spent side sleeping (P < .05). CONCLUSION: Preliminary analysis suggests that removal of hip precautions after primary THA using a posterior approach was not associated with early dislocation and facilitated return to daily functions. Investigation to appropriate power is warranted.

The Efficacy and Safety of Opioids in Total Joint Arthroplasty: Systematic Review and Direct Meta-Analysis.

BACKGROUND: Opioids are frequently used to treat pain after total joint arthroplasty (TJA). The purpose of this study was to evaluate the efficacy and safety of opioids in primary TJA to support the combined clinical practice guidelines of the American Association of Hip and Knee Surgeons, American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons, Hip Society, Knee Society, and the American Society of Regional Anesthesia and Pain Management. METHODS: The MEDLINE, EMBASE, and Cochrane Central Register of controlled trials were searched for studies published before November 2018 on opioids in TJA. All included studies underwent qualitative and quantitative homogeneity testing followed by a systematic review and direct comparison meta-analysis to assess the efficacy and safety of opioids. RESULTS: Preoperative opioid use leads to increased opioid consumption and complications after TJA along with a higher risk of chronic opioid use and inferior patient-reported outcomes. Scheduled opioids administered preemptively, intraoperatively, or postoperatively reduce the need for additional opioids for breakthrough pain. Prescribing fewer opioid pills after discharge is associated with equivalent functional outcomes and decreased opioid consumption. Tramadol reduces postoperative opioid consumption but increases the risk of postoperative nausea, vomiting, dry mouth, and dizziness. CONCLUSION: Moderate evidence supports the use of opioids in TJA to reduce postoperative pain and opioid consumption. Opioids should be used cautiously as they may increase the risk of complications, such as respiratory depression and sedation, especially if combined with other central nervous system depressants or used in the elderly.

Is There a Benefit to Modularity for Femoral Revisions When Using a Splined, Tapered Titanium Stem?

BACKGROUND: Proposed benefits of modularity for femoral revisions in total hip arthroplasty (THA) include more precise biomechanical restoration and improved stability, but this has not been proven with use of a splined, tapered design. This study's purpose is to compare (1) complication rates, (2) functional outcomes, and (3) radiographic measures of subsidence, offset, and leg length discrepancy with the use of modular vs monoblock splined, tapered titanium stems in revision THA. METHODS: We retrospectively reviewed 145 femoral revisions with minimum 2-year follow-up (mean, 5.12 years; range, 2-17.3 years). Patients receiving a modular (67) or monoblock (78) splined, tapered titanium stem for femoral revision were included. RESULTS: There were no statistically significant differences in rates of reoperation (22.3% vs 17.9%; P = .66), intraoperative fracture (9.0% vs 3.8%; P = .30), postoperative fracture (3.0% vs 1.3%; P = .47), dislocation (11.9% vs 5.1%; P = .23), or aseptic loosening (4.5% vs 6.4%; P = .73) between the modular and monoblock cohorts, respectively. There were similar results regarding subsidence >5 mm (10.4% vs 12.8%; P = .22), LLD >1 cm (35.8% vs 38.5%; P = .74), restoration of hip offset (-5.88 ± 10.1 mm vs -5.07 ± 12.1 mm; P = .67), and Harris Hip Score (70.7 ± 17.9 vs 73.9 ± 19.7; P = .36) between groups. Multivariate regression showed no differences in complications (P = .44) or reoperations (P = .20) between groups. CONCLUSION: Modular and monoblock splined, tapered titanium stems demonstrated comparable complication rates, functional outcomes, and radiographic parameters for femoral revisions. However, a limited number of patients with grade IIIB or IV femoral bone loss received a monoblock stem. Future investigations are required to determine whether modularity is beneficial for more complex femoral defects.

Mechanical instability induces osteoclast differentiation independent of the presence of a fibrous tissue interface and osteocyte apoptosis in a rat model for aseptic loosening.

Background and purpose - Insufficient initial fixation or early micromotion of an implant is associated with a thin layer of fibrous tissue at the peri-implant interface. It is unknown if bone loss is induced by the fibrous tissue interface acting as an active biological membrane, or as a membrane that will produce supraphysiologic fluid flow conditions during gait, which activates the mechanosensitive osteocytes to mediate osteoclast differentiation. We investigated whether mechanically induced osteolysis is dependent on the fibrous tissue interface as a biologically active scaffold, or if it merely acts as a conduit for fluid flow, affecting the mechanosensitive osteocytes in the peri-prosthetic bone.Methods - Using a rat model of mechanically instability-induced aseptic loosening, we assessed whether the induction of osteoclast differentiation was dependent on the presence of a peri-implant fibrous interface. We analyzed the amount of osteoclast differentiation, osteocyte apoptosis, pro-resorptive cytokine expression and bone loss using immunohistochemistry, mRNA expression and micro-CT.Results - Osteoclast differentiation and bone loss were induced by mechanical instability but were not affected by the presence of the fibrous tissue membrane or associated with osteocyte apoptosis. There was no increased mRNA expression of any of the cytokines in the fibrous tissue membrane compared with the peri-implant bone.Interpretation - Our data show that the fibrous tissue membrane in the interface plays a minor role in inducing bone loss. This indicates that the peri-implant bone adjacent to loose bone implants might play an important role for osteoclast differentiation.

Primary Total Hip Arthroplasty in Patients Less Than 50 Years of Age at a Mean of 16 Years: Highly Crosslinked Polyethylene Significantly Reduces the Risk of Revision.

BACKGROUND: The purpose of this study is to evaluate clinical and radiographic outcomes of patients less than 50 years of age undergoing primary total hip arthroplasty (THA) at a minimum of 10 years. METHODS: Three hundred nine consecutive THAs performed on 273 patients were reviewed. At a minimum of 10 years, 13 were deceased and 23 were lost to follow-up leaving 273 THAs in 237 patients who were followed for a mean of 16 years (range 10-19.9). The cohort consisted of 116 females (49%) and 121 males (51%), with a mean age of 42.3 years at the time of surgery (range 19-49). The majority of preoperative diagnoses included osteoarthritis in 149 (63%) and avascular necrosis in 55 (23%). Two hundred sixteen had highly crosslinked polyethylene (HXLPE) and 57 had non-HXLPE acetabular liners. The femoral stems were cementless in 98% (266/273) and the acetabular components were cementless in all cases. Femoral head composition was cobalt-chromium in all cases and the majority of sizes in the non-HXLPE cohort were 28 mm (52/57; 91%), while the HXLPE group primarily consisted of 28 mm (141/216; 65%) and 32 mm (74/216; 34%) heads. Analysis involved Kaplan-Meier survivorship with a log-rank test for equivalence, Fisher's exact test for pairwise comparisons, and a paired t-test for Harris Hip Score, with alpha = 0.05 being statistically significant. RESULTS: There were 6 revisions for wear in the non-HXLPE group (10.5%) compared to none in the HXLPE group (P < .001). Similarly, survivorship with revision for any reason as the endpoint at 16 years was significantly higher at 93.0% in the XLPE group (95% confidence interval 88.7-95.7) compared to 85.7% (95% confidence interval 73.5-92.6) in the non-HXLPE group (P = .023). Additional revisions in the HXLPE group included 6 for instability (2.8%), 5 secondary to infection (2.4%), and 3 stem failures (1.4%). Non-wear-related revisions in the non-HXLPE group included 5 due to instability (8.8%) and 3 due to stem failures (5.3%). The mean Harris Hip Scores for the entire cohort improved from a mean of 46.2 points preoperatively to 89.8 points at most recent follow-up (P < .001). CONCLUSION: The use of HXLPE has led to a significant reduction in the risk of failure in patients <50 years old, with over 93% survivorship at 16 years. Instability and infection, however, remain substantial causes of failure. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: Therapeutic Level III.

External Validity of a New Prediction Model for Patient Satisfaction After Total Knee Arthroplasty.

BACKGROUND: The ability to identify patients at risk of dissatisfaction after total knee arthroplasty (TKA) remains elusive. This study's purpose was to determine the external validity of a recently published prediction model for patient satisfaction (PMPS) with the hypothesis that it would achieve similar predictive success in our study sample. METHODS: A 10-question PMPS statistically derived from 5 patient-reported outcome questionnaires was tested for external validity in this prospective cohort investigation. The PMPS incorporates gender, age, stiffness, noise, and pain catastrophizing, with a score of 20 or greater predictive of satisfaction. As in the original study, to determine satisfaction the 2011 Knee Society Score (KSS) satisfaction subscale was collected at 3 months postoperatively. Two hundred seventy-four patients were administered the PMPS preoperatively, and 145 patients completed the KSS at 3 months postoperatively (53.0% response rate; 59% female; age, 64.9; body mass index, 32.5). A Bland-Altman analysis to assess agreement was performed. RESULTS: One hundred thirty-three patients (91.7%) were satisfied and 12 (8.3%) were dissatisfied based on their postoperative KSS. The mean difference between the PMPS and KSS was 3.6 ± 8, but with a 95% prediction interval of -15.3 to 22.1 signifying almost no correlation. The PMPS did not predict any of the 12 dissatisfied patients postoperatively, and falsely predicted 5 patients to be dissatisfied of which 4 actually had a maximum postoperative KSS of 40. CONCLUSION: A previously published, internally validated 10-question PMPS was unable to predict satisfaction after TKA in our external study sample. This study emphasizes the difficulty of developing a simple, but robust questionnaire that consistently predicts patient satisfaction after TKA.

The James A. Rand Young Investigator's Award: Large Opioid Prescriptions Are Unnecessary After Total Joint Arthroplasty: A Randomized Controlled Trial.

BACKGROUND: The purpose of this randomized controlled trial is to determine whether the quantity of opioid pills prescribed at discharge is associated with the number of opioid pills consumed or unused by patients after primary hip and knee arthroplasty within 30 days after discharge. METHODS: A total of 304 opioid-naïve patients were randomized to receive either 30 or 90 5-mg oxycodone immediate-release (OxyIR) pills at discharge. Daily opioid consumption, number of unused pills, and pain scores were calculated for 30 days with a patient-completed medication diary. Statistical analysis involved t-test, rank-sum, chi-squared tests, and multiple linear regression with alpha = 0.05. RESULTS: Of the 304 patients randomized, 161 patients were randomized to receive 30 pills and 143 to receive 90. In the first 30 days after discharge, the median number of unused pills was 15 in the 30 group vs 73 in the 90 group (P < .001). Within 90 days of discharge, 26.7% of the 30 group and 10.5% of the 90 group requested a refill (P < .001), leading to a mean of 777.1 ± 414.2 morphine equivalents vs 1089.7 ± 536.4 prescribed (P < .0001). There was no difference between groups in mean morphine equivalents consumed. Regression analysis demonstrated that being prescribed 90 OxyIR pills was independently associated with taking more OxyIR pills (P = .028). There was no difference in pain scores within the first 30 days and in patient-reported outcome scores at 6 weeks postoperatively. CONCLUSION: Prescribing fewer OxyIR pills is associated with a significant reduction in unused opioid pills and decreased opioid consumption with no increase in pain scores and no difference in patient-reported outcomes. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: Level I. Randomized controlled trial.

Physical Therapy on Postoperative Day Zero Following Total Knee Arthroplasty: A Randomized, Controlled Trial of 394 Patients.

BACKGROUND: Surgeons have increasingly emphasized early mobilization as a way to facilitate discharge following total knee arthroplasty (TKA). The purpose of this study was to determine whether starting formal physical therapy (PT) the afternoon of postoperative day (POD) 0, instead of starting PT the morning of POD 1, could shorten hospital length of stay (LOS). METHODS: Patients undergoing elective TKA with a planned minimum 1-night hospital stay were randomized to start formal PT the afternoon following surgery or the morning of POD 1. LOS in hours was the primary outcome. An a priori sample size calculation suggested that 394 patients were required to show a 4-hour difference between groups. RESULTS: Out of 394 patients enrolled and randomized, 378 (95.9%) completed the study. The observed difference in hospital LOS was not large enough to be of clinical significance (intention-to-treat analysis: median of 32.0 hours for POD 0 PT vs 31.0 hours for POD 1 PT, P = .65; as-treated analysis: median of 31.0 hours for POD 0 PT vs 32.0 hours for POD 1 PT, P = .12). Similarly, the observed differences in satisfaction with inpatient PT (10.0 vs 10.0, P = .77), patient-reported readiness for discharge at time of discharge (10.0 vs 10.0, P = .97), and POD 0 pain (3.3 vs 4.0, P = .79) were not large enough to be of clinical significance. CONCLUSION: While PT on the day of surgery has been suggested as one method to facilitate discharge following TKA, this randomized trial did not demonstrate clinically meaningful differences in hospital LOS or patient satisfaction when PT is initiated on the day of surgery vs on the morning after surgery.

Prospective Validation of a Demographically Based Primary Total Knee Arthroplasty Size Calculator.

BACKGROUND: Preoperative planning for total knee arthroplasty (TKA) is essential for streamlining operating room efficiency and reducing costs. Digital templating and patient-specific instrumentation have shown some value in TKA but require additional costs and resources. The purpose of this study was to validate a previously published algorithm that uses only demographic variables to accurately predict TKA tibial and femoral component sizes. METHODS: Four hundred seventy-four consecutive patients undergoing elective primary TKA were prospectively enrolled. Four surgeons were included, three of which were unaffiliated with the retrospective cohort study. Patient sex, height, and weight were entered into our published Arthroplasty Size Prediction mobile application. Accuracy of the algorithm was compared with the actual sizes of the implanted femoral and tibial components from 5 different implant systems. Multivariate regression analysis was used to identify independent risk factors for inaccurate outliers for our model. RESULTS: When assessing accuracy to within ±1 size, the accuracies of tibial and femoral components were 87% (412/474) and 76% (360/474). When assessing accuracy to within ±2 sizes of predicted, the tibial accuracy was 97% (461/474), and the femoral accuracy was 95% (450/474). Risk factors for the actual components falling outside of 2 predicted sizes include weight less than 70 kg (odds ratio = 2.47, 95% confidence interval [1.21-5.06], P = .01) and use of an implant system with <2.5 mm incremental changes between femoral sizes (odds ratio = 5.50, 95% confidence interval [3.33-9.11], P < .001). CONCLUSIONS: This prospective series of patients validates a simple algorithm to predict component sizing for TKA with high accuracy based on demographic variables alone. Surgeons can use this algorithm to simplify the preoperative planning process by reducing unnecessary trays, trials, and implant storage, particularly in the community or outpatient setting where resources are limited. Further assessment of components with less than 2.5-mm differences between femoral sizes is required in the future to make this algorithm more applicable worldwide.