Clinical Pharmacist Service Associated With Improved Outcomes and Cost Savings in Total Joint Arthroplasty.

BACKGROUND: Institutions providing total joint arthroplasty (TJA) procedures are subject to substantial outcomes reporting, including those influencing payment for services. Although clinical pharmacists are well-poised to add value, a comprehensive approach to optimizing pharmacotherapy across the care continuum for TJA patients has not been described. METHODS: This prospective, interventional, sequential cohort study was approved by our Institutional Review Board. The objective was to assess the impact of an Orthopedic Clinical Pharmacist service on institutional TJA complication rates and costs. Outcomes were compared for a Baseline period of July 2015 to February 2016 and a Post-implementation period of September 2016 to February 2017, allowing for a 6-month run-in period. Additionally, we pursued a post-discharge, RN-administered patient survey and an exploratory economic assessment. RESULTS: A total of 1715 TJA procedures were performed at the institution during the 20-month study timeframe. Postoperative readmission rate (1.3% vs 4.8%, P = .002) and complication rate (1.8% vs 3.4%, P = .760) were lower in the Post-implementation period. Postoperative VTE rate decreased to zero in the Post-implementation period (0.0% vs 0.6%, P = .13) and average hospital length of stay was unchanged (2.8 vs 2.9 days). Patient self-rated understanding of discharge medications was improved and satisfaction with pharmacist interaction was very high. The service conferred an estimated $73,410 net annual cost savings to the institution. CONCLUSION: Integration of a clinical pharmacist service for TJA patients was associated with clinically meaningful improvements in institutional outcomes, likely conferring substantial cost-benefit.

Liposomal Bupivacaine Versus Standard Periarticular Injection in Total Knee Arthroplasty With Regional Anesthesia: A Prospective Randomized Controlled Trial.

BACKGROUND: Liposomal bupivacaine (Exparel) is a long-acting local anesthetic preparation with demonstrated efficacy over placebo in reducing postoperative pain and opioid requirement. Limited comparative efficacy and cost-effectiveness data exist for its use in total knee arthroplasty (TKA) when used in a multimodal, opioid-sparing analgesic and anesthetic approach. We hypothesized that liposomal bupivacaine offers no clinical advantage over our standard of care but carries significant economic impact. METHODS: This is a prospective, randomized, single-blinded, controlled trial comparing liposomal bupivacaine periarticular injection (PAI) to our current approach including conventional bupivacaine PAI, in the setting of regional anesthesia. All adult unilateral TKA patients of the collaborating surgeon were eligible to participate in the study. Patients were randomized 1:1 to either the liposomal bupivacaine protocol or the standard-of-care protocol. All patients received regional anesthesia and standard postoperative analgesia protocols. Patients and all postoperative healthcare providers were blinded to study arm assignment. RESULTS: A total of 59 patients were enrolled per our a priori power calculation after 1 exclusion for randomization error. No significant demographic differences between the study arms were found. There was no statistically significant difference in the primary outcome of number of physical therapy (PT) sessions required to achieve home-going discharge goals (3.0 ± 1.2 vs 3.6 ± 1.3, P = .137), nor in the clinical secondary outcomes. A significant difference in medication charges was found. CONCLUSION: Our study supports earlier literature suggesting no significant clinical benefit of using liposomal bupivacaine over standard of care in TKA and underscores cost-of-care concerns with this agent.

Antimicrobial Stewardship in Total Joint Arthroplasty: Outcomes of a Collaborative Program Implementation.

INTRODUCTION: Antimicrobial stewardship has been cited as a crucial component of orthopaedic surgical care; however, limited high-quality data exist to guide antibiotic use across the total joint arthroplasty continuum. Antimicrobial stewardship program (ASP) implementation and evaluation is needed in this space. METHODS: We pursued a prospective, sequential cohort study of an interprofessional ASP for total joint arthroplasty (TJA) formed in late 2017 at the study institution. Twelve total evidence-based recommendations for protocol change were issued, with 11 accepted and implemented across three project phases spanning March 2018 to December 2019. The primary study outcome was the rate of optimal preoperative intravenous antibiotic selection as assessed for Baseline versus Postintervention time periods. Secondary outcomes included individual antibiotic utilization rates. Descriptive statistics were pursued for institutional surgical site infection (SSI) and postoperative acute kidney injury (AKI) rates across the affected time frame. A cost-benefit analysis of the ASP was estimated from the institutional perspective. RESULTS: The rate of optimal preoperative antibiotic selection increased from 64.9% in the Baseline Period (February 2018, n = 57) to 95.4% in the Postimplementation period (June 2018 to December 2019, n = 1,220) (P < 0.001). The rates of second-line preoperative antibiotics and total perioperative antibiotic exposures decreased. Total SSI and AKI rates in primary elective TJA seemed to decrease from calendar year 2018 to 2019 (deep SSI 1.00% to 0.22%, superficial SSI 0.66% to 0.00%, and AKI 1.97% to 1.03%). The institution realized an estimated $197,050 cost savings per 1000 TJA procedures. DISCUSSION: A comprehensive ASP for TJA was associated with an increased use of optimal preoperative antibiotic selection, decreased total antibiotic exposures, and cost savings, without apparent detriment to SSI or AKI rates.

Two-year to five-year follow-up of femoral defects in femoral revision treated with the link MP modular stem.

Femoral deficiency has been shown to adversely affect the results of revision total hip arthroplasty. Tapered titanium modular stems allow distal fixation of the fluted, conical portion of the implant in the setting of proximal bone loss. One hundred two consecutive hips with proximal bone loss underwent revision femoral reconstruction between 1998 and 2002 at 3 centers using the Link MP modular stem. Forty-three hips had Mallory type 3C femoral deficiency. Ninety-seven hips were observed for an average of 45 months (range, 24-72; median, 36 months). Clinically, mean Harris hip score improved from 36 to 84 (range, 54-99). Radiographically, 93 hips were considered stable, with no circumferential lucencies at the distal fixation surface. Three hips migrated and required revision, along with one periprosthetic fracture. Five other hips had nonprogressive migration of 1 to 2 mm.

Surgical Technique in Total Hip Arthroplasty Utilizing the Anterolateral Approach.

The surgical approach is an important element in the quality of total hip replacement. Adequate surgical exposure based upon thorough fundamental knowledge of anatomy facilitates surgery and ensure optimum results in total hip replacement. Several surgical exposure techniques are utilized and have been described in the literature; all stress the importance of visualization of the acetabulum and the proximal femur in affording an atraumatic, expedient entry into the hip joint. Additionally, surgical exposure should be versatile, allowing for development to easily accommodate revision scenarios.

Stem modularity: rarely necessary in primary total hip arthroplasty.

A retrospective review of two consecutive series of cementless primary THA performed simultaneously from November 1987 to February 1994 within a single orthopedic practice by three surgeons was conducted. A series using non-modular Mallory-Head Porous (Biomet Inc, Warsaw, Ind) femoral components was compared to a series using modular Sivash Range of Motion (DePuy, Warsaw, Ind) femoral components to evaluate whether modularity of the femoral stem body is necessary in cementless primary THA. Clinically and radiographically, both components performed at comparable levels with equally satisfactory results. Both series demonstrated effective femoral fixation as evidenced by excellent Engh fixation scores. However, this study has shown the importance of circumferential proximal porous-coating to form an effective seal, preventing the propagation of particulate debris. Modular systems were associated with a higher degree of technical difficulty, operative time, and blood loss.

Pain management for joint arthroplasty: preemptive analgesia.

Scheduled preoperative and postoperative analgesia should be offered in a multimodal management model. By a combined drug synergy effect, the central nervous system, afferent pathways, and peripheral wound site are modified collectively. In an ongoing effort to improve perioperative pain management, we retrospectively compared the results of a previously reported pain management protocol with 2 more recent groups of patients managed with modified pain protocols. In the earlier control protocol, epidural anesthesia was discontinued on arrival to the postanesthesia care unit, and regularly scheduled oral opioids and intravenous hydromorphone for breakthrough pain were initiated. The first more recent group used epidural anesthesia, and the second group used spinal anesthesia. Both protocols featured the use of cyclooxygenase-2-inhibiting anti-inflammatory medication administered for 2 weeks preoperatively and continued for 10 days postoperatively and patient-controlled analgesia for 24 hours followed by scheduled oral opioids.