Using Unsupervised Machine Learning to Predict Quality of Life After Total Knee Arthroplasty.

BACKGROUND: Patient-reported outcome measures (PROMs) are an important metric to assess total knee arthroplasty (TKA) patients. The purpose of this study was to use a machine learning (ML) algorithm to identify patient features that impact PROMs after TKA. METHODS: Data from 636 TKA patients enrolled in our patient database between 2018 and 2022, were retrospectively reviewed. Their mean age was 68 years (range, 39 to 92), 56.7% women, and mean body mass index of 31.17 (range, 16 to 58). Patient demographics and the Functional Comorbidity Index were collected alongside Patient-Reported Outcome Measures Information System Global Health v1.2 (PROMIS GH-P) physical component scores preoperatively, at 3 months, and 1 year after TKA. An unsupervised ML algorithm (spectral clustering) was used to identify patient features impacting PROMIS GH-P scores at the various time points. RESULTS: The algorithm identified 5 patient clusters that varied by demographics, comorbidities, and pain scores. Each cluster was associated with predictable trends in PROMIS GH-P scores across the time points. Notably, patients who had the worst preoperative PROMIS GH-P scores (cluster 5) had the most improvement after TKA, whereas patients who had higher global health rating preoperatively had more modest improvement (clusters 1, 2, and 3). Two out of Five patient clusters (cluster 4 and 5) showed improvement in PROMIS GH-P scores that met a minimally clinically important difference at 1-year postoperative. CONCLUSIONS: The unsupervised ML algorithm identified patient clusters that had predictable changes in PROMs after TKA. It is a positive step toward providing precision medical care for each of our arthroplasty patients.

The Otto Aufranc Award: Does Hip Arthroscopy at the Time of Periacetabular Osteotomy Improve the Clinical Outcome for the Treatment of Hip Dysplasia? A Multicenter Randomized Clinical Trial.

BACKGROUND: A periacetabular osteotomy (PAO) is often sufficient to treat the symptoms and improve quality of life for symptomatic hip dysplasia. However, acetabular cartilage and labral pathologies are very commonly present, and there is a lack of evidence examining the benefits of adjunct arthroscopy to treat these. The goal of this study was to compare the clinical outcome of patients undergoing PAO with and without arthroscopy, with the primary end point being the International Hip Outcome Tool-33 at 1 year. METHODS: In a multicenter study, 203 patients who had symptomatic hip dysplasia were randomized: 97 patients undergoing an isolated PAO (mean age 27 years [range, 16 to 44]; mean body mass index of 25.1 [range, 18.3 to 37.2]; 86% women) and 91 patients undergoing PAO who had an arthroscopy (mean age 27 years [range, 16 to 49]; mean body mass index of 25.1 [17.5 to 25.1]; 90% women). RESULTS: At a mean follow-up of 2.3 years (range, 1 to 5), all patients exhibited improvements in their functional score, with no significant differences between PAO plus arthroscopy versus PAO alone at 12 months postsurgery on all scores: preoperative International Hip Outcome Tool-33 score of 31.2 (standard deviation [SD] 16.0) versus 36.4 (SD 15.9), and 12 months postoperative score of 72.4 (SD 23.4) versus 73.7 (SD 22.6). The preoperative Hip disability and Osteoarthritis Outcome pain score was 60.3 (SD 19.6) versus 66.1 (SD 20.0) and 12 months postoperative 88.2 (SD 15.8) versus 88.4 (SD 18.3). The mean preoperative physical health Patient-Reported Outcomes Measurement Information System score was 42.5 (SD 8.0) versus 44.2 (SD 8.8) and 12 months postoperative 48.7 (SD 8.5) versus 52.0 (SD 10.6). There were 4 patients with PAO without arthroscopy who required an arthroscopy later to resolve persistent symptoms, and 1 patient from the PAO plus arthroscopy group required an additional arthroscopy. CONCLUSIONS: This randomized controlled trial has failed to show any significant clinical benefit in performing hip arthroscopy at the time of the PAO at 1-year follow-up. Longer follow-up will be required to determine if hip arthroscopy provides added value to a PAO for symptomatic hip dysplasia.

Management of urinary incontinence in females by primary care providers: a systematic review.

OBJECTIVE: To describe primary care provider (PCP) practices for the assessment and management of females with urinary incontinence (UI), and appraise these practices relative to recommendations made in high-quality clinical guidelines. METHODS: Studies were searched in four databases (MEDLINE, EMBASE, CINAHL, Web of Science) from their respective inception dates to 6 March 2023. All studies describing UI evaluation and management practices used by PCPs for female patients were eligible. Two reviewers independently selected studies assessed their quality and extracted data. A narrative synthesis of included studies was performed to describe practices. Relevant evaluation and management practices were then compared to recommendations that were consistent across current high-quality UI guidelines. Pharmacotherapy, referrals, and follow-ups were reported descriptively only. RESULTS: A total of 3475 articles were retrieved and, among those, 31 were included in the review. The majority reported a poor-moderate adherence to performing a pelvic examination (reported adherence range: 23-76%; based on eight studies), abdominal examination (0-87%; three studies), pelvic floor muscle assessment (9-36%; two studies), and bladder diary (0-92%; nine studies), while there was high adherence to urine analysis (40-97%; nine studies). For the conservative management of UI, studies revealed a poor-moderate adherence to recommendations for pelvic floor muscle training (5-82%; nine studies), bladder training (2-53%; eight studies) and lifestyle interventions (1-71%; six studies). Regarding pharmacotherapy, PCPs predominantly prescribed antimuscarinics (2-46%; nine studies) and oestrogen (2-77%; seven studies). Lastly, PCPs referred those reporting UI to medical specialists (5-37%; 14 studies). Referrals were generally made <30 days after diagnosis with urologists being the most sought out professional to assess and treat UI. CONCLUSION: This review revealed poor-moderate adherence to clinical practice guideline recommendations. While these findings reflect high variability in reporting, the key message is that most aspects of patient care for female UI provided by PCPs needs to improve.

Patient-clinician digital health interventions for the hip fracture population: a scoping review.

INTRODUCTION: Older adults with hip fracture often require extensive post-surgery care across multiple sectors, making follow-up care even more important to ensure an ideal recovery. With the increased adoption of technology, patient-clinician digital health interventions can potentially improve post-surgery outcomes of hip fracture patients by helping them and their caregivers better understand the various aspects of their care, post-hip fracture surgery. The purpose of this study was to examine the available literature on the impact of hip fracture-specific, patient-clinician digital health interventions on patient outcomes and health care delivery processes. We also aimed to identify the barriers and enablers to the uptake and implementation of these technologies and to provide strategies for improved use of these digital health interventions. METHODS: We conducted a scoping review following the six stages of Arksey and O'Malley's framework and following the PRISMA-ScR reporting format. Searches were conducted in five databases. In addition to hand searching for relevant studies from the references of all included studies, we also conducted a grey literature search to identify relevant primary studies. Screening of titles and abstracts as well as full texts were performed independently by two reviewers. Two reviewers also performed the data extraction of the included studies. RESULTS: After screening 3,638 records, 20 articles met the criteria and 1 article was identified through hand searching. Various patient-clinician digital health interventions were described including telehealth /telerehabilitation programs (n = 6), care transition /follow-up interventions (n = 5), online resources (n = 2), and wearable devices /sensor monitoring (n = 1). Outcomes were varied and included functional status, gait/mobility, quality of life, psychological factors, satisfaction, survival/complications, caregiver outcomes, compliance, technology-user interactions, and feedback on the use of the digital health interventions. For clinicians, a key barrier to the use of the digital health interventions was the acceptability of the technology. However, the usefulness of the digital health intervention by clinicians was seen as both a barrier and an enabler. For patients and caregivers, all the themes were seen as both a barrier and an enabler depending on the study. These themes included: 1) availability and access, 2) usability, 3) knowledge and skills, 4) acceptability, and 5) usefulness of the digital health intervention. CONCLUSION: Many behavioural factors affect the use of patient-clinician digital health interventions. However, a specific attention should be focused on the acceptability of the technology by the clinicians to encourage uptake of the digital health interventions. The results of this scoping review can help to better understand the factors that may be targeted to increase the use of these technologies by clinicians, patients, and caregivers.

Artificial intelligence-driven prescriptive model to optimize team efficiency in a high-volume primary arthroplasty practice.

PURPOSE: We aimed to improve OR efficiency using machine learning (ML) to find relevant metrics influencing surgery time success and team performance on efficiency to create a model which incorporated team, patient, and surgery-related factors. METHODS: From 2012 to 2020, five surgeons, 44 nurses, and 152 anesthesiologists participated in 1199 four joint days (4796 cases): 1461 THA, 1496 TKA, 652 HR, 242 UKA, and 945 others. Patients were 2461f:2335 m; age, 64.1; BMI, 29.93; and ASA, 2.45. Surgical Success was defined as completing four joints within an eight hour shift using one OR. Time data was recorded prospectively using Surgical Information Management Systems. Hospital records provided team, patient demographics, adverse events, and anesthetic. Data mining identified patterns and relationships in higher dimensions. Predictive analytics used ML ranking algorithm to identify important metrics and created decision tree models for benchmarks and success probability. RESULTS: Five variables predicted success: anaesthesia preparation time, surgical preparation time, time of procedure, anesthesia finish time, and type of joint replacement. The model determined success rate with accuracy of 72% and AUC = 0.72. Probability of success based on mean performance was 77-89% (mean-median) if APT 14-15 minutes, PT 68-70 minutes, AFT four to five minutes, and turnover 25-27 minutes. With the above benchmarks maintained, success rate was 59% if surgeon exceeded 71.5-minutes PT or 89% if 64-minutes procedure time or 66% when anesthesiologist spent 17-19.5 minutes on APT. CONCLUSION: AI-ML predicted OR success without increasing resources. Benchmarks track OR performance, demonstrate effects of strategic changes, guide decisions, and provide teamwork improvement opportunities.

Does a Monoblock Acetabular Component With a Ceramic Liner Cause More Pelvic Bone Loss Than a Conventional Modular Cementless Acetabular Component? A 2-Year Randomized Clinical Trial.

BACKGROUND: Ceramic-on-ceramic bearings permit the use of large femoral head size while maintaining a favorable effect on wear rates. However, because of increased device rigidity, periprosthetic bone quality could be negatively affected due to stress shielding. The purpose of this study is to assess pelvic periprosthetic bone remodeling around a monoblock ceramic-on-ceramic acetabular component compared to that around a conventional modular metal-on-polyethylene device. METHODS: Participants were randomized to receive hip replacement using either a porous-coated, modular metal-on-polyethylene acetabular component (n = 46) or a hydroxyapatite and titanium-coated monoblock shell with an integrated ceramic-on-ceramic bearing (n = 40). Radiographic assessments were completed preoperatively and postoperatively, and measurements of bone mineral density (BMD) using dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry with region free analysis were performed postoperatively and over 2-years of follow-up. RESULTS: There was no significant difference in BMD between the 2 groups at baseline or over the following 2 years. At follow-up, complete shell-to-bone contact without a radiolucent line was observed in 26 (67%) of the modular devices and in 37 (93%) of monoblock (P < .001). The modular device was an independent predictor of radiolucent lines (odds ratio 19.1, P = .007). No cases underwent revision surgery for acetabular loosening. CONCLUSION: Both the porous-coated modular and hydroxyapatite-coated monoblock acetabular components showed successful clinical results at short-term follow-up with no difference in pixel-level BMD. Using a large head monoblock device does not appear to be associated with an adverse effect on the local bone environment when compared to a modular device. NCT: NCT01558752.

How do we define and measure sarcopenia? A meta-analysis of observational studies.

OBJECTIVE: this study aimed to investigate how sarcopenia has been defined and measured in the literature reporting its prevalence, and how different definitions and measurement tools can affect prevalence estimates. DESIGN: systematic review and meta-analysis. SETTING AND PARTICIPANTS: community-dwelling older people. METHODS: meta-analysis of data collected from observational studies. We performed an electronic search in five databases to identify studies reporting the prevalence of sarcopenia. We used descriptive statistics to present data pertaining sarcopenia definition and measurement tools, and the quality-effects model for meta-analysis of pooled prevalence. RESULTS: we found seven different operational definitions for sarcopenia and a variety of tools applied to assess the sarcopenic markers; muscle mass, muscle strength and physical performance. The prevalence of sarcopenia varied between the definitions with general estimates ranging from 5% based on the European Working Group on Sarcopenia in Older People (EWGSOP1) criterion to 17% with the International Working Group on Sarcopenia. According to the tool used to assess muscle mass, strength and physical performance, prevalence values also varied within definitions extending from 1 to 7%, 1 to 12% and 0 to 22%, respectively. CONCLUSION AND IMPLICATIONS: the criteria used to define sarcopenia, as well as the measurement tools applied to assess sarcopenic markers have influence in the prevalence of sarcopenia. The establishment of a unique definition for sarcopenia, the use of methods that guarantee an accurate evaluation of muscle mass and the standardisation of measurement tools are necessary to allow a proper diagnosis and comparison of sarcopenia prevalence among populations.

A scoping review of studies exploring leisure-time physical activity in adults diagnosed with advanced cancer.

OBJECTIVES: Despite improving survival rates, people with advanced cancer face several physical and psychosocial concerns. Leisure-time physical activity (LPA) has been found to be beneficial after cancer diagnosis, but little is known about the current state of research exploring LPA in advanced cancer. Our objectives were to (a) map the literature examining LPA in people with advanced cancer, (b) report on the terms used to describe the advanced cancer population within the literature, and (c) examine how the concept of LPA is operationalized within the literature. METHOD: Our scoping review followed Arksey and O'Malley's methodological framework. We performed a search of 11 electronic databases and supplementary sources (February 2018; database search updated January 2020). Two reviewers independently reviewed and selected articles according to the inclusion criteria: English-language journal articles on original primary research studies exploring LPA in adults diagnosed with advanced cancer. Descriptive and thematic analyses were performed. RESULTS: Ninety-two articles met our criteria. Most included studies were published in the last decade (80%) and used quantitative methods (77%). Many study populations included mixed (40%), breast (21%), or lung (17%) cancers. Stages 3-4 or metastatic disease were frequently indicated to describe study populations (77%). Several studies (68%) described LPA programs or interventions. Of these, 78% involved structured aerobic/resistance exercise, while 16% explored other LPA types. SIGNIFICANCE OF RESULTS: This review demonstrates a recent surge in research exploring LPA in advanced cancer, particularly studies examining exercise interventions with traditional quantitative methods. There remains insufficient knowledge about patient experiences and perceptions toward LPA. Moreover, little is known about other leisure activities (e.g., Tai Chi, dance, and sports) for this population. To optimize the benefits of LPA in people with advanced cancer, research is needed to address the gaps in the current literature and to develop personalized, evidence-based supportive care strategies in cancer care.

Is There a Role for Preclosure Dilute Betadine Irrigation in the Prevention of Postoperative Infection Following Total Joint Arthroplasty?

BACKGROUND: Conflicting evidence exists surrounding the use of preclosure irrigation solutions in primary total joint arthroplasty (TJA). We aimed to determine the role of dilute betadine lavage in preventing early infection after primary TJA. METHODS: We retrospectively reviewed primary TJAs between 2010 and 2018. Dilute betadine lavage was introduced to our practice in November 2014. We included 3513 total hip arthroplasties, 3932 total knee arthroplasties, and 1033 hip resurfacings (HRs). In group 1 (n = 5588), surgical wounds were irrigated with saline; group 2 used dilute betadine solution (n = 2890). Subanalyses using propensity matching based on known risk factors of infection-age, body mass index, American Society of Anesthesiologists grade, diabetes, and procedure-were completed. RESULTS: There were 48 acute infections in group 1 (0.9%) and 23 in group 2 (0.8%) (P = .762). HR without betadine had the highest acute infection prevalence (P = .028). When groups in the whole cohort were propensity score-matched, group 1 had more acute infections than group 2 (P = .033). The effect of betadine was isolated to HR patients. After excluding HR cases, betadine continued to reduce the acute infection rate when compared with the no betadine group, but this was not statistically significant (0.4% vs 0.8%; P = .101). Likewise, we did not find a significant difference in total hip arthroplasty and total knee arthroplasty patients (P = .796). CONCLUSION: There was a decreased infection rate in the betadine group overall when groups were propensity-matched. Because the reduction in the acute infection rate was clinically significant, we feel this practice is an effective means to prevent infections.

Does surgical approach influence mid- to long-term patient-reported outcomes after primary total hip replacement? A comparison of the 3 main surgical approaches.

Background: The most effective surgical approach to total hip replacement (THR) remains controversial. Most studies that have compared approaches have reported only short-term outcome data. It is therefore unclear in the literature if a particular surgical approach offers long-term advantages. The aim of this study was to determine the effect of the 3 main surgical approaches to THR on patient-reported outcomes 5 years after surgery. Methods: All patients who underwent a THR for osteoarthritis or osteonecrosis between 2008 and 2012 by an anterior, posterior or lateral approach at The Ottawa Hospital in Ontario, Canada, were included in the study. All preoperative and postoperative scores for the Hip Disability and Osteoarthritis Outcome Score (HOOS) and Western Ontario and MacMaster Universities Osteoarthritis Index (WOMAC) questionnaires were recorded. Analysis of covariance was used to study the relationship between the amount of change in scores on the HOOS and WOMAC subscales (dependent variables) and the surgical approach. The confounding factors of age, sex, American Society of Anesthesiologists (ASA) class, Charnley classification and body mass index were included in the analysis. Results: There were 138 patients (37.6%) in the posterior approach group, 104 (28.3%) in the lateral approach group and 125 (34.1%) in the anterior approach group. There were no significant differences among the 3 groups in terms of Charnley classification, body mass index, sex, ASA class, surgical side and preoperative functional scores. We did not observe any significant differences in the amount of change in the scores for HOOS and WOMAC subscales among the 3 groups. There were also no differences in the final postoperative scores. Conclusion: Our findings suggest that the choice of surgical approach in primary THR surgery without revision has no influence on functional outcomes and quality of life after 5 years. Further studies are needed to assess how patient age and sex may influence the functional outcome of individual surgical approaches.

Contexte: L'approche chirurgicale la plus efficace pour l'arthroplastie totale de la hanche (ATH) n'a pas été déterminée. La plupart des études qui ont comparé les différentes approches n'ont fait état que de données à court terme. Donc, la littérature nous renseigne peu sur leurs bienfaits à long terme. Le but de cette étude est de vérifier l'effet des 3 principales approches chirurgicales pour l'ATH sur les paramètres rapportés par les patients 5 ans après la chirurgie. Méthodes: Tous les patients soumis à une ATH pour arthrose ou ostéonécrose entre 2008 et 2012 par approche antérieure, postérieure ou latérale à l'Hôpital d'Ottawa, en Ontario, au Canada, ont été inclus dans l'étude; et tous les scores préopératoires et postopératoires des questionnaires HOOS (Hip Disability and Osteoarthritis Outcome Score) et WOMAC (Western Ontario and MacMaster Universities Osteoarthritis Index) ont été enregistrés. L'analyse de covariance a servi à étudier le lien entre l'ampleur des changements aux scores des sous-échelles HOOS et WOMAC (variables dépendantes) et l'approche chirurgicale. L'analyse a aussi tenu compte de facteurs de confusion tels que l'âge, le sexe, la classe ASA (American Society of Anesthesiologists), classification de Charnley et indice de masse corporell. Résultats: Le groupe soumis à l'approche postérieure comptait 138 patients (37,6 %), à l'approche latérale 104 (28,3 %) et à l'approche antérieure 125 (34,1 %). Il n'y avait pas de différences significatives entre les 3 groupes aux plans de la classification de Charnley, de l'indice de masse corporelle, du sexe, de la classe ASA, du côté où la chirurgie a été effectuée et des paramètres fonctionnels préopératoires. Nous n'avons observé aucune différence significative quant à l'ampleur du changement aux scores des sous-échelles HOOS et WOMAC entre les 3 groupes; il en est allé de même pour les scores postopératoires finaux. Conclusion: Selon nos observations, le choix de l'approche chirurgicale pour l'ATH primaire sans révision n'exerce aucune influence sur les paramètres fonctionnels et la qualité de vie après 5 ans. Il faudra procéder à d'autres études pour évaluer l'influence potentielle de l'âge et du sexe sur les paramètres fonctionnels des différentes approches.

Capturing adverse events in elective orthopedic surgery: comparison of administrative, surgeon and reviewer reporting

Summary: Ensuring adverse event (AE) recording is standardized and accurate is paramount for patient safety. In this discussion, we outline our comparison of AE data collected by orthopedic surgeons and independent clinical reviewers using the Spine Adverse Events Severity System (SAVES) and Orthopedic Surgical Adverse Events Severity System (OrthoSAVES) against AE data recorded by hospital administrative discharge abstract coders. In 164 spine, hip, knee and shoulder patients, reviewers recorded significantly more AEs than coders, and coders recorded significantly more AEs than surgeons. The AEs were recorded similarly by reviewers using SAVES and OrthoSAVES in 48 spine patients. Despite our small sample size and use of different AE tools, we believe it is important to highlight that coders, surgeons and reviewers recorded AEs differently. While further investigations on its utility and cost-effectiveness are necessary, we assert that it is feasible to use Ortho-SAVES to prospectively record AEs across all orthopedic subspecialties.

Should the Pareto Principle Be Applied as a Cost Savings Method in Hip and Knee Arthroplasty?

BACKGROUND: Understanding the most significant contributions to the cost of completing total hip arthroplasty (THA) and total knee arthroplasty (TKA) is essential to optimize costs and meet funding standards. The objectives of this study are to determine whether cost distribution of THA and TKA follows the Pareto Principle (80/20 rule) and factors predictive of costs that could be modified. METHODS: All inpatient, primary, elective, and unilateral THA and TKA patients from April 2008 to September 2017 were retrospectively reviewed. The Pareto Principle was tested by dividing patients into top 5% cost increments and calculating patient cost category ratio. Relationship between patient-related factors and acute care costs and relationship between cost categories and length of stay (LOS) were examined using multiple regression. RESULTS: The Pareto Principle does not apply for THA or TKA patients, with the top 20% of costly patients accounting for approximately 30% of total costs. LOS is the strongest independent driver of costs. Operating room services and supplies accounted for over 50% of total costs but with low variability (coefficient of variation < 0.25). Laboratory and allied health costs had high variability (coefficient of variation > 1.5), but their contribution to total costs was low (from 0.76% to 5.68%). CONCLUSION: THA and TKA costs do not follow Pareto Principle, concluding that targeting top costly patients is not as effective as focusing on overall patient population. Efforts to decrease overall costs should focus on decreasing the LOS and improving operating room process efficiencies including human resources for supplies and instruments.

Variation in Use of Postoperative Precautions and Equipment Following Total Hip Arthroplasty: A Survey of the AAHKS and CAS Membership.

BACKGROUND: A traditional method to reduce dislocation risk following total hip arthroplasty involves prescribing postoperative precautions and ambulatory equipment to patients. The purpose of this study was to determine the prevalence of postoperative precaution and equipment use among North American arthroplasty surgeons for patients undergoing primary total hip arthroplasty. METHODS: We conducted a survey of American Association of Hip and Knee Surgeons and Canadian Arthroplasty Society members using an electronic questionnaire format to determine how often precautions and equipment were prescribed, and whether their use was associated with surgical approach and other surgeon demographics. RESULTS: Of the respondents, 44% universally prescribed precautions while 33% never prescribed precautions. Use of the posterolateral approach, surgeon experience, and larger head size use were significantly associated (P < .01) with precaution and equipment use. Direct anterior approach surgeons were significantly less likely to prescribe precautions (P < .0001) and significantly less likely to prescribe equipment (P < .0001). CONCLUSION: Although postoperative precautions continue to be used to some degree by the majority of members, their consumption of healthcare resources through utilization of additional care providers and purchasing of equipment, known association with reduced patient satisfaction, and lack of supporting evidence make them a target for future scrutiny.

An Evaluation of the Safety and Effectiveness of Total Hip Arthroplasty as an Outpatient Procedure: A Matched-Cohort Analysis.

BACKGROUND: Outpatient hip arthroplasty is being performed more routinely; however, safety remains a concern. The purpose of this study was to compare the rate of adverse events of outpatient total hip arthroplasty (THA) and assess barriers to discharge. METHODS: We examined 136 patients who underwent unilateral THA by one surgeon and were discharged on the same day of surgery. Using propensity matching, 136 inpatients who received the same procedure, and were discharged on postoperative day one or later, were identified. For each cohort, 90-day occurrence of adverse events, readmissions, and emergency visits were recorded and compared. Adverse events were graded using the OrthoSAVES tool. A secondary objective was to assess potential barriers to same-day discharge. RESULTS: Within 90 days postoperatively, 12 outpatients (8.82%) and 14 inpatients (10.29%) developed an adverse event. There were no significant differences between the rate or severity of adverse events between the 2 groups and no serious adverse events in either group. In the outpatient group, there was a correlation between the dosage of spinal anesthetic (bupivacaine) given and time required to stay in postanesthetic care unit postoperatively. CONCLUSION: When comparing the 2 groups, there were no differences in adverse events at 90 days. At our center, in the appropriate patient population, outpatient THA is a safe and cost-effective option. A potential barrier to mobility postoperatively and successful same-day discharge is the time required to stay in postanesthetic care unit postoperatively, which was significantly correlated with an increased dose of spinal anesthetic given in our outpatient cohort.

Tertiary care centre adherence to unified guidelines for management of periprosthetic joint infections: a gap analysis.

BACKGROUND: The success rate of surgical treatment for periprosthetic joint infection (PJI) remains inconsistent in the literature. Variability in PJI clinical guidelines and surgeon adherence to guidelines could affect treatment success. The objectives of this study were to appraise current recommendations for PJI management and develop a unified clinical standard of care, to perform a gap analysis of PJI cases in a tertiary institution to determine the rate of guideline adherence, and to determine if adherence to unified PJI guidelines affected 2-year treatment outcomes. METHODS: We appraised the PJI guidelines from 3 academic medical societies, and consistent statements were aggregated. We retrospectively reviewed all PJI cases in a tertiary care institution. We defined PJI based on Musculoskeletal Infection Society PJI criteria. Surgeon adherence to preoperative, intraoperative, surgical and medical management guidelines was calculated, and we evaluated the association between guideline adherence and 2-year treatment outcomes. RESULTS: The institutional rate of PJI was 1.13% (38 of 3368). Treatment success was 57.8% at 2 years. Unified guideline adherence percentages varied substantially: 92% of patients had preoperative erythrocyte sedimentation rate and C-reactive protein, 97% had intraoperative tissue cultures, 42% had appropriate preoperative arthrocentesis, and 74% underwent guideline-appropriate surgery. Performing appropriate preoperative arthrocentesis significantly correlated with positive treatment outcomes at 2 years (p = 0.028). CONCLUSION: Adherence to PJI guidelines varies considerably, indicating that clinicians are either unaware of them or do not recognize their value for PJI treatment. This study shows the need for institution-based PJI treatment pathways that are consistent with published guidelines and the need to monitor adherence.

CONTEXTE: Les études ne concordent pas quant au taux de réussite du traitement chirurgical des infections de prothèses articulaires (IPA). Une certaine variabilité dans les lignes directrices sur ces infections et dans l'adhésion des chirurgiens à celles-ci pourrait nuire à la réussite du traitement. La présente étude visait à évaluer les recommandations actuelles sur la prise en charge des IPA afin d'élaborer une norme de soins uniforme, à effectuer une analyse des lacunes entourant les cas d'IPA dans un établissement de soins tertiaires pour déterminer le taux d'adhésion aux lignes directrices, et à déterminer si l'adhésion à des lignes directrices uniformes influençait les issues de traitement après 2 ans. MÉTHODES: Nous avons évalué les lignes directrices sur les IPA de 3 sociétés médicales universitaires, et agrégé des énoncés cohérents. Nous avons également examiné de façon rétrospective tous les cas d'IPA dans un établissement de soins tertiaires. Aux fins de notre étude, l'IPA était définie selon les critères de la Musculoskeletal Infection Society. Nous avons calculé l'adhésion des chirurgiens aux lignes directrices de prise en charge préopératoire, peropératoire, chirurgicale et médicale, puis nous avons évalué l'association entre ce paramètre et les issues de traitement après 2 ans. RÉSULTATS: Le taux d'IPA dans l'établissement était de 1,13 % (38 sur 3368), et le taux de réussite du traitement était de 57,8 % après 2 ans. Les pourcentages d'adhésion aux lignes directrices variaient considérablement : 92 % des patients avaient eu une analyse préopératoire de la vitesse de sédimentation érythrocytaire et de la protéine C-réactive, 97 % avaient eu des cultures tissulaires peropératoires, 42 % avaient eu une arthrocentèse préopératoire appropriée, et 74 % avaient subi une intervention chirurgicale conforme aux lignes directrices. Il y avait une corrélation significative entre l'arthrocentèse préopératoire et les issues favorables après 2 ans (p = 0,028). CONCLUSION: L'adhésion aux lignes directrices sur les IPA varie considérablement, ce qui indique que les cliniciens ne les connaissent pas ou n'en reconnaissent pas la valeur pour le traitement des IPA. La présente étude montre qu'il faut dans les établissements des protocoles de traitement conformes aux lignes directrices publiées, et qu'il est nécessaire de surveiller l'adhésion des chirurgiens à celles-ci.

Predicting hospital length of stay and short-term function after hip or knee arthroplasty: are both performance and comorbidity measures useful?

PURPOSE: Variations in hospital length of stay (LOS) and function are present after hip or knee arthroplasty. Comorbidity and performance measures have been associated with post-operative outcomes. It is however not known if both independently contribute to outcome prediction. The objective of this study was to evaluate the combined predictive ability of comorbidity scores (American Society of Anesthesiologists classification system (ASA), Charlson comorbidity index (CCI), 2008 version of the CCI (CCI08)) and a performance measure (Timed-Up-and-Go (TUG)) on LOS and short-term function in patients undergoing knee or hip arthroplasty. METHODS: One hundred eight patients undergoing hip or knee arthroplasty were assessed preoperatively with the ASA, CCI, CCI08, and TUG. LOS was determined through administrative data. The Older Americans Resources and Services ADL questionnaire (OARS) was used to assess function two and six weeks after surgery. Logistic regression was used to assess the relationship between pre-operative assessments and LOS and OARS scores. RESULTS: Both the ASA and TUG significantly contributed to LOS prediction. Odds ratio (OR) was 3.57 (95% confidence interval (CI) 1.26-10.07) for the ASA, and 2.18 (95% CI 1.67-4.15) for a one-standard deviation (SD) increase of 4.45 s of the TUG. Only the TUG was predictive of two weeks function and trending towards significance for six weeks function. One SD TUG increase yielded an OR of 2.14 (95% CI 1.53-3.79) for two week function. CONCLUSIONS: The TUG and ASA can be used pre-operatively in combination to predict LOS, and TUG can also be used to predict short-term post-operative function.

What are private sector physiotherapists' perceptions regarding interprofessional and intraprofessional work for managing low back pain?

In the last decades, interactions between health professionals have mostly been discussed in the context of interprofessional teamwork where professionals work closely together and share a team identity. Comparatively, little work has been done to explore interactions that occur between professionals in contexts where traditionally formal structures have been less supporting the implementation of interprofessional teamwork, such as in the private healthcare sector. The objective of this study was to identify private sector physiotherapists' perceptions of interprofessional and intraprofessional work regarding interventions for adults with low back pain. This was a cross-sectional survey of 327 randomly-selected physiotherapists. Data were analysed using descriptive statistics. A majority of physiotherapists reported positive effects of interprofessional work for their clients, themselves and their workplaces. Proximity of physiotherapists with other professionals, clinical workloads, and client's financial situation were perceived as important factors influencing the implementation of interprofessional work. Low back pain is a highly prevalent and disabling condition. The results of this study indicate that integrating interprofessional work in the management of low back pain in the private sector is warranted. Furthermore, the implementation of interprofessional work is viewed by practicing physiotherapists as dependent upon certain client-, professional- and organizational-level factors.

Can Surgeons Adequately Capture Adverse Events Using the Spinal Adverse Events Severity System (SAVES) and OrthoSAVES?

BACKGROUND: Physicians have consistently shown poor adverse-event reporting practices in the literature and yet they have the clinical acumen to properly stratify and appraise these events. The Spine Adverse Events Severity System (SAVES) and Orthopaedic Surgical Adverse Events Severity System (OrthoSAVES) are standardized assessment tools designed to record adverse events in orthopaedic patients. These tools provide a list of prespecified adverse events for users to choose from-an aid that may improve adverse-event reporting by physicians. QUESTIONS/PURPOSES: The primary objective was to compare surgeons' adverse-event reporting with reporting by independent clinical reviewers using SAVES Version 2 (SAVES V2) and OrthoSAVES in elective orthopaedic procedures. METHOD: This was a 10-week prospective study where SAVES V2 and OrthoSAVES were used by six orthopaedic surgeons and two independent, non-MD clinical reviewers to record adverse events after all elective procedures to the point of patient discharge. Neither surgeons nor reviewers received specific training on adverse-event reporting. Surgeons were aware of the ongoing study, and reported adverse events based on their clinical interactions with the patients. Reviewers recorded adverse events by reviewing clinical notes by surgeons and other healthcare professionals (such as nurses and physiotherapists). Adverse events were graded using the severity-grading system included in SAVES V2 and OrthoSAVES. At discharge, adverse events recorded by surgeons and reviewers were recorded in our database. RESULTS: Adverse-event data for 164 patients were collected (48 patients who had spine surgery, 51 who had hip surgery, 34 who had knee surgery, and 31 who had shoulder surgery). Overall, 99 adverse events were captured by the reviewers, compared with 14 captured by the surgeons (p < 0.001). Surgeons adequately captured major adverse events, but failed to record minor events that were captured by the reviewers. A total of 93 of 99 (94%) adverse events reported by reviewers required only simple or minor treatment and had no long-term adverse effect. Three patients experienced adverse events that resulted in use of invasive or complex treatment that had a temporary adverse effect on outcome. CONCLUSION: Using SAVES V2 and OrthoSAVES, independent reviewers reported more minor adverse events compared with surgeons. The value of third-party reviewers requires further investigation in a detailed cost-benefit analysis. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: Level II, therapeutic study.

Impact of Definition and Timeframe on Capturing Surgery-Related Readmissions After Primary Joint Arthroplasty.

BACKGROUND: Readmission rate has emerged as an important metric to measure quality, but varying definitions and timeframes are used. We aimed to evaluate the impact of different readmission definitions (postoperative vs postdischarge) and timeframes (30 vs 90-day) on capturing surgery-related readmissions after primary total joint arthroplasty. METHODS: Patients who underwent primary total hip or knee arthroplasty between January 1, 2013 and December 31, 2015 were included. The electronic medical records of readmitted patients were reviewed to determine whether a surgery-related event was most responsible for readmission. The performances of 4 definition-timeframe combinations in capturing surgery-related readmissions were evaluated. RESULTS: A total of 2586 patients were included. Using both postoperative and postdischarge definitions, there were no differences in the proportion of readmissions that were surgery-related when comparing 30 and 90-day timeframes (postoperative: 71% vs 60%, P = .118; postdischarge: 68% vs 60%, P = .219). Greater proportion of readmissions between days 0 and 30 were for surgery-related reasons compared with readmissions between days 31 and 90 using both postoperative and postdischarge definitions (postoperative: 71% vs 47%, P = .005; postdischarge: 68% vs 49%, P = .022). Among 104 patients readmitted for surgery-related reasons within 1 year of discharge, 52% were readmitted within 30 days of surgery compared with 79% within 90 days (P < .001). Similarly, 53% and 81% of readmissions were captured by the 30 and 90-day postdischarge definitions, respectively (P < .001). CONCLUSION: A 90-day timeframe is superior in capturing surgery-related readmissions after total joint arthroplasty. Important Total hip and knee arthroplasty adverse events may be missed using a 30-day timeframe.