Effect of Patient Age on Total Hip Arthroplasty Outcomes in Patients Who Have Osteonecrosis of the Femoral Head Compared to Patients Who Have Hip Osteoarthritis.

BACKGROUND: Osteonecrosis of the femoral head (ONFH) affects both young and old patients. However, outcomes following total hip arthroplasty (THA) for these patients may vary with age. This study aimed to examine the effect of age on THA outcomes for non-traumatic ONFH patients, an area currently lacking research. METHODS: Patients who had non-traumatic ONFH undergoing THA with at least 2 years of follow-up were identified using a database and divided into four groups by age. Then, 4 matched control groups of patients who had hip osteoarthritis (OA) were created. Multivariate logistic regression analyses were used to evaluate the rates of medical and surgical complications. Additionally, cohorts with a minimum 5-year follow-up were filtered to obtain further data on surgical outcomes. The study analyzed 85,462 non-traumatic ONFH and 80,120 hip OA patients undergoing THA. RESULTS: Multiple medical complications in ONFH patients increased with age. Periprosthetic fracture within 2 years increased with age, while 90-day wound complications, 2-year periprosthetic joint infections, dislocations, and revisions decreased. The trends for complications continued at the 5-year follow-up. Compared to OA patients, those who had ONFH had higher risks of most complications, but this discrepancy decreased with age. CONCLUSIONS: In ONFH patients undergoing THA, medical complications generally rise with age, while most surgical complications, including revisions, decrease. It is notable that ONFH patients experienced more complications than those who had OA, but this difference diminished with age.

The Pregnant Arthroplasty Surgeon: A Women in Arthroplasty Committee Editorial.

BACKGROUND: Women orthopaedic surgeons face unique challenges during their careers. There are extremely low numbers of women in the field, particularly in the specialty of adult reconstruction. Factors contributing to low numbers of women entering this subspecialty include increased perceived physical demand relative to other fields, occupational hazards during pregnancy such as exposure to radiation and polymethylmethacrylate bone cement, concerns for work-life balance, and limited number of women within the subspecialty. The following editorial provides a framework to understand and manage the potential occupational hazards to pregnant and lactating surgeons, parental leave, and postpartum return to work. We aim to dispel any unfounded myths and provide evidence-based education that may help overcome these barriers. In doing so, we hope to encourage more women to consider adult reconstruction as a potential career. METHODS: Our primary method consisted of completing an extensive literature review on the past and current articles about the aforementioned barriers which may contribute to the low number of women entering adult reconstruction. After this literature search was completed, we composed a comprehensive editorial that provided evidence-based education and recommendations for medical professionals. CONCLUSIONS: Issues pertaining to parenthood, pregnancy, and lactation pose barriers to success for women in orthopedic surgery. These concerns may dissuade talented women from pursuing a rewarding career in adult reconstruction. Education on these issues is needed to help our early-career colleagues plan and care for their families. Clearly stated and published policies should be made available in all training programs, fellowships, and clinical practices to allow understanding and unbiased implementation. By being more inclusive, adult reconstruction will have access to the best possible surgeons, which will benefit not only patients but the field as a whole.

Trends in Surgical Management of Osteonecrosis of the Femoral Head: A 2010 to 2020 Nationwide Study.

BACKGROUND: The incidence of osteonecrosis of the femoral head (ONFH) is estimated at more than 20,000 patients annually in the US. Our study aimed to provide a 10-year analysis: 1) evaluating total operative procedures with rates normalized to the population; 2) determining trends of arthroplasty versus joint-preserving procedures; and 3) quantifying specific operative techniques in patients <50 versus >50 years of age. METHODS: A total of 64,739 patients who were diagnosed with ONFH and underwent hip surgery were identified from a nationwide database between 2010 and 2020. The percentage of patients managed by each operative procedure was calculated and normalized to the overall population annually. Patients were grouped into joint-preserving versus non-joint-preserving (arthroplasty) procedures, and divided by age under/over 50 years. Linear regression modeling was performed to evaluate trends/differences in procedural volume by year. RESULTS: The number of operative procedures to treat ONFH has relatively declined from 2010 to 2020. The relative proportion of joint-preserving procedures increased (8.6% to 11.2%) during this time period. There were significantly more joint-preserving procedures in patients aged <50 years relative to >50 years (15.3% versus 2.7%, P < .001). Overall, THA was the most common procedure (57,033;88.1%) relative to hemiarthroplasty (3,875;6.0%), core decompression (2,730;4.2%), bone graft (467;0.7%), and osteotomy (257;0.4%). CONCLUSION: Surgical management of patients who have ONFH remains predominantly arthroplasty procedures (94% overall). Our findings suggest an increase in joint-preserving procedures, particularly core decompression, in patients <50 years (15.3%). Our findings provide insight into surgical management trends for ONFH, and suggest opportunities for joint-preserving procedures.

The 2021 Association Research Circulation Osseous Classification for Early-Stage Osteonecrosis of the Femoral Head to Computed Tomography-Based Study.

BACKGROUND: The Association Research Circulation Osseous developed a novel classification for early-stage (precollapse) osteonecrosis of the femoral head (ONFH). We hypothesized that the novel classification is more reliable and valid when compared to previous 3 classifications: Steinberg, modified Kerboul, and Japanese Investigation Committee classifications. METHODS: In the novel classification, necrotic lesions were classified into 3 types: type 1 is a small lesion, where the lateral necrotic margin is medial to the femoral head apex; type 2 is a medium-sized lesion, with the lateral necrotic margin being between the femoral head apex and the lateral acetabular edge; and type 3 is a large lesion, which extends outside the lateral acetabular edge. In a derivation cohort of 40 early-stage osteonecrotic hips based on computed tomography imaging, reliabilities were evaluated using kappa coefficients, and validities to predict future femoral head collapse by chi-squared tests and receiver operating characteristic curve analyses. The predictability for future collapse was also evaluated in a validation cohort of 104 early-stage ONFH. RESULTS: In the derivation cohort, interobserver reliability (k = 0.545) and intraobserver agreement (63%-100%) of the novel method were higher than the other 3 classifications. The novel classification system was best able to predict future collapse (P < .05) and had the best discrimination between non-progressors and progressors in both the derivation cohort (area under the curve = 0.692 [0.522-0.863], P < .05) and the validation cohort (area under the curve = 0.742 [0.644-0.841], P = 2.46 × 10-5). CONCLUSION: This novel classification is a highly reliable and valid method of those examined. Association Research Circulation Osseous recommends using this method as a unified classification for early-stage ONFH. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: Level III, diagnostic study.

Bisphosphonate Therapy for Treating Osteonecrosis in Pediatric Leukemia Patients: A Systematic Review.

BACKGROUND: Despite improved outcomes in children with leukemia, complications such as osteonecrosis are common. We conducted a systematic review to investigate the role of bisphosphonates in reducing pain, improving mobility, and stabilizing lesions in pediatric leukemia survivors. METHODS: Using the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses guidelines, we searched the PubMed, Embase, Cochrane, Web of Science, Scopus, CINAHL, and ClinicalTrials.gov databases. Five of 221 articles retrieved met our inclusion criteria. RESULTS: Bisphosphonates, especially when combined with dietary calcium and vitamin D supplements and physical therapy (supplements/PT) were associated with improved pain and mobility in 54% and 50% of patients, respectively. A significantly greater proportion of patients treated with bisphosphonates (83%) reported mild/moderate pain or no pain compared with those with supplements/PT alone (36%) (P<0.001). Sixty-six percent of patients treated with bisphosphonates achieved improved/full mobility compared with 27% of those treated with supplements/PT alone (P=0.02). However, 46% of patients showed progressive joint destruction despite bisphosphonate therapy. No adverse events were reported, except for acute phase reactions to intravenous therapies. CONCLUSIONS: Bisphosphonates, when combined with supplements/PT, were associated with less pain and improved mobility, but not prevention of joint destruction in pediatric leukemia patients with osteonecrosis.

ARCO Consensus on the Pathogenesis of Non-traumatic Osteonecrosis of the Femoral Head.

Osteonecrosis of the femoral head (ONFH) is a devastating disease frequently leading to femoral head collapse and hip arthritis. Specifically, non-traumatic ONFH primarily affects young and middle-aged adults. Although compromised local circulation of the femoral head seems to be pathognomonic for the disease, the pathogenesis is perplexing and continues to be an area of scrutiny and research. Comprehension of the pathogenesis is of crucial importance for developing and guiding treatments for the disease. Therefore, we provide an up-to-date consensus on the pathogenesis of non-traumatic ONFH.

Osteonecrosis of the Femoral Head: an Updated Review of ARCO on Pathogenesis, Staging and Treatment.

Non-traumatic osteonecrosis of the femoral head (ONFH) usually affects adults younger than 50 years and frequently leads to femoral head collapse and subsequent arthritis of the hip. It is becoming more prevalent along with increasing use of corticosteroids for the adjuvant therapy of leukemia and other myelogenous diseases as well as management of organ transplantation. This review updated knowledge on the pathogenesis, classification criteria, staging system, and treatment of ONFH.

Perception of Risk: A Poll of American Association of Hip and Knee Surgeons Members.

BACKGROUND: Providers of total hip and knee replacements are being judged regarding quality/cost by payers using competition-based performance measures with poor medical and no socioeconomic risk adjustment. Providers might assume that other providers shed risk and the perception of added risk can influence practice. A poll was collected to examine such perceptions. METHODS: In 2019 a poll was sent to the 2800 surgeon members of the American Association of Hip and Knee Surgeons using Survey Monkey while protecting respondent anonymity/confidentiality. The questions asked whether the perception of poorly risk-adjusted medical comorbidities and socioeconomic risk factors influence surgeons to selectively offer surgery. RESULTS: There were 474 surgeon responses. Prior to elective total hip arthroplasty/total knee arthroplasty, 95% address modifiable risk factors; 52% require a body mass index <40, 64% smoking cessation, 96% an adequate hemoglobin A1C; 82% check nutrition; and 63% expect control of alcohol 2. Due to lack of socioeconomic risk adjustment, 83% reported feeling pressure to avoid/restrict access to patients with limited social support, specifically the following: Medicaid/underinsured, 81%; African Americans, 29%; Hispanics/ethnicities, 27%; and low socioeconomic status, 73%. Of the respondents, 93% predicted increased access to care with more appropriate risk adjustment. CONCLUSION: Competition-based quality/cost performance measures influence surgeons to focus on medical risk factors in offering lower extremity arthroplasty. The lack of socioeconomic risk adjustment leads to perceptions of added risk from such factors as well. This leads to marginal loss of access for patients within certain medical and socioeconomic classes, contributing to existing healthcare disparities. This represents an unintended consequence of competition-based performance measures.

Diagnosis and Treatment of Femoral Head Osteonecrosis: A Protocol for Development of Evidence-Based Clinical Practice Guidelines.

INTRODUCTION: There are many treatment options for patients who have osteonecrosis of the femoral head (ONFH) and management strategies vary widely both among and within individual countries. Although many researchers have attempted to elucidate the optimal strategies for managing this disease, the lack of large-scale randomized control trials and the lack of agreement on disease staging have curtailed the development of clear-cut guidelines. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The Association Research Circulation Osseous (ARCO) group sought to address three questions for the management of patients who have ONFH: 1) What imaging studies are most sensitive and specific for the diagnostic evaluation of patients who have ONFH?; 2) What is the best treatment strategy for preventing disease progression in patients who have pre-collapse lesions?; and 3) What is the best treatment strategy for patients who have post-collapse disease? The Patient, Intervention, Comparison, and Outcome (PICO) format was used to formulate the search strategy for each research question. A systematic review will be performed according to the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines. ARCO participants have been allocated to three groups, each representing one of the PICO questions. After qualitative and quantitative analysis of the data extracted from studies pertaining to each of the three research questions, a set of evidence-based clinical practice guidelines will be proposed for the management of patients who have ONFH. DISCUSSION: It is not always clear which treatment method is optimal for the management of ONFH. Thus, many surgeons have developed and performed various procedures based on patient-specific factors. As there is no consensus on the optimal treatment for various stages of disease, it was clear that developing evidence-based clinical practice guidelines would provide more structure and uniformity to management of these patients. Therefore, the results of this systematic review will lead to the development guidelines that may improve patient-care strategies and result in better outcomes for patients who have ONFH.

Team approach: Management of osteonecrosis in children with acute lymphoblastic leukemia.

With current treatments for acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL), the overall prognosis for survival is favorable. Increasing emphasis is placed on recognizing and managing the long-term consequences of ALL and its treatment, particularly involving osteonecrosis. Early osteonecrosis diagnosis and management may improve outcomes and is best accomplished through coordinated teams that may include hematologic oncologists, radiologists, orthopedic surgeons, physical therapists, and the patient and their family. Magnetic resonance imaging is the "gold standard" for diagnosis of early-stage and/or multifocal osteonecrosis. Treatments for osteonecrosis in ALL patients are risk stratified and may include observation, corticosteroid or chemotherapy adjustment, and pharmaceutical or surgical approaches.

Moving Forward in Osteonecrosis: What Research Is Telling Us.

Osteonecrosis may afflict over 20 million patients worldwide. Prevention and treatment of osteonecrosis is dependent on a better understanding of the pathogenesis of the disease. Treatments range from observation with behavior modification to total joint replacement. As osteonecrosis patients are often relatively young, treatment options sparing the joint and reducing or delaying the need for joint replacement are essential. The results of joint sparing procedures are generally better if performed at early, precollapse stages. Approaches to treatment of early-stage disease are based upon the clinician's acceptance of one of the many hypotheses regarding the underlying pathophysiologic mechanisms involved. These mechanisms have been categorized as direct effects on cells or tissues, vascular interruption, intravascular occlusion, and intraosseous extravascular compression. While there has been a substantial increase in research regarding osteonecrosis, many questions remain to be answered concerning risk factors, pathophysiology, and nonsurgical and surgical interventions.

Thirty-Day Complications in Osteonecrosis Patients Following Total Hip Arthroplasty.

BACKGROUND: Thirty-day complications in osteonecrosis (ON) patients undergoing total hip arthroplasty (THA) are inconsistently reported. Therefore, the purpose of this study is to evaluate (1) the incidence of THA, (2) operative times, (2) length of stay, (3) reoperation rates, (4) readmission rates, and (5) complication rates, in the general vs ON THA populations. We also substratified and compared these cohorts based on ON-specific risk factors. METHODS: Using the National Surgical Quality Improvement Program database, Current Procedural Terminology code 27130, International Classification of Disease, Ninth Edition code 733.42, and a 1:1 propensity score match, a total of 8344 matched ON and non-ON THA patients were identified. ON patients were also substratified based on key risk factors. The above variables were compared between the matched ON and non-ON cohorts as well as for patients with each risk factor using Pearson's chi-square and Student t-tests. RESULTS: The proportion of THAs performed on ON patients decreased by 35% from 2008 to 2015. Mean operative times were constant between the ON and non-ON patients (102 minutes). ON patients had shorter mean length of stay (3.1 vs 3.4 days, P = .002). Of the 17 different 30-day complications evaluated, superficial surgical site infection (1.2% vs 0.6%, P = .004), pneumonia (0.8% vs 0.2%, P = .001), transfusion (15.6% vs 5.4%, P < .001), and readmission (5.1% vs 2.3%, P = .012) were higher among ON patients. ON patients with a history of corticosteroid use, higher American Society of Anesthesiologists score, and smoking were also found to have higher complication rates compared to non-ON patients with the same risk factors. CONCLUSION: This is one of the first studies to compare postoperative THA outcomes between matched ON vs non-ON patients, while also taking into consideration specific risk factors between the cohorts.

Preoperative Patient Education Class During an Orthopedic Mission Trip: Effects on Knowledge, Anxiety, and Informed Consent.

BACKGROUND: Patient knowledge about arthritis and risks, benefits, and outcomes of joint arthroplasty in developing countries is unknown. We evaluated the effectiveness of a preoperative class on improving knowledge and decreasing anxiety during a surgical mission trip offering total joint arthroplasty. METHODS: A team of US health care providers taught a preoperative class to 41 patients selected for total joint arthroplasty during a surgical mission trip to Guyana. Participants completed a 32-point survey about arthritis; indications, risks, and benefits of joint arthroplasty; and postoperative, in-patient rehabilitation expectations. The State-Trait Anxiety Inventory was used to measure participant anxiety. Participants completed identical surveys before and after class. Matched-pairs Student t tests were used to compare means between preclass and postclass surveys. Significance was accepted at P < .05. RESULTS: Seventy-eight percent of patients (31 of 41) scored less than 12 of 32 possible points (40%) on the preclass knowledge questionnaire. Mean ± standard deviation knowledge scores improved from 14.0 ± 4.5 before the class to 16.5 ± 6.5 after the class (P = .008). Anxiety scores (n = 33) improved from 35 ± 13 before the class to 33 ± 12 after the class (P = .047). CONCLUSION: On this surgical mission trip, underserved patients' knowledge about total joint arthroplasty increased only modestly after taking a preoperative class. Greater understanding of how to educate patients and reduce their anxiety on medical missions is needed.

The 2019 Revised Version of Association Research Circulation Osseous Staging System of Osteonecrosis of the Femoral Head.

BACKGROUND: The Association Research Circulation Osseous (ARCO) presents the 2019 revised staging system of osteonecrosis of the femoral head (ONFH) based on the 1994 ARCO classification. METHODS: In October 2018, ARCO established a task force to revise the staging system of ONFH. The task force involved 29 experts who used a web-based survey for international collaboration. Content validity ratios for each answer were calculated to identify the levels of agreement. For the rating queries, a consensus was defined when more than 70% of the panel members scored a 4 or 5 rating on a 5-point scale. RESULTS: Response rates were 93.1%-100%, and through the 4-round Delphi study, the 1994 ARCO classification for ONFH was successfully revised. The final consensus resulted in the following 4-staged system: stage I-X-ray is normal, but either magnetic resonance imaging or bone scan is positive; stage II-X-ray is abnormal (subtle signs of osteosclerosis, focal osteoporosis, or cystic change in the femoral head) but without any evidence of subchondral fracture, fracture in the necrotic portion, or flattening of the femoral head; stage III-fracture in the subchondral or necrotic zone as seen on X-ray or computed tomography scans. This stage is further divided into stage IIIA (early, femoral head depression ≤2 mm) and stage IIIB (late, femoral head depression >2 mm); and stage IV-X-ray evidence of osteoarthritis with accompanying joint space narrowing, acetabular changes, and/or joint destruction. This revised staging system does not incorporate the previous subclassification or quantitation parameters, but the panels agreed on the future development of a separate grading system for predicting disease progression. CONCLUSION: A staging system has been developed to revise the 1994 ARCO classification for ONFH by an expert panel-based Delphi survey. ARCO approved and recommends this revised system as a universal staging of ONFH.

Polymeric nanofiber coating with tunable combinatorial antibiotic delivery prevents biofilm-associated infection in vivo.

Bacterial biofilm formation is a major complication of implantable medical devices that results in therapeutically challenging chronic infections, especially in cases involving antibiotic-resistant bacteria. As an approach to prevent these infections, an electrospun composite coating comprised of poly(lactic-coglycolic acid) (PLGA) nanofibers embedded in a poly(ε-caprolactone) (PCL) film was developed to locally codeliver combinatorial antibiotics from the implant surface. The release of each antibiotic could be adjusted by loading each drug into the different polymers or by varying PLGA:PCL polymer ratios. In a mouse model of biofilm-associated orthopedic-implant infection, three different combinations of antibiotic-loaded coatings were highly effective in preventing infection of the bone/joint tissue and implant biofilm formation and were biocompatible with enhanced osseointegration. This nanofiber composite-coating technology could be used to tailor the delivery of combinatorial antimicrobial agents from various metallic implantable devices or prostheses to effectively decrease biofilm-associated infections in patients.

Surgeon Mean Operative Times in Total Knee Arthroplasty in a Variety of Settings in a Health System.

BACKGROUND: High-quality care is essential in total joint arthroplasty. Multiple initiatives such as centers of excellence, patient optimization, and alternative payment models have demonstrated improved outcomes and decreased cost. Many studies have shown that longer operative times (OTs) are associated with increased frequency of postoperative complications. These findings often come from large data sets and may not accurately represent the average OT of individual surgeons. The purpose of this study was to determine the hospital and patient-related factors that influence OT. METHODS: This retrospective study reviewed OT of 6003 total knee arthroplasty cases performed by 41 surgeons at 4 hospitals in a single health-care system. Mean OT was calculated for each surgeon. The effect of surgeon, hospital-, and patient-related factors on OT was assessed. RESULTS: Among the 41 surgeons, the mean OT was 105 ± 25 minutes. Two community hospitals had significantly faster OT compared with the tertiary care academic hospital. Surgeons' OT for morbidly obese patients was significantly longer compared with normal, overweight, and obese patients. Surgeon volume, surgeon experience, trainee presence, and American Society of Anesthesiologists status did not significantly affect surgical time. CONCLUSIONS: Operative time was influenced by hospital-related (tertiary, community) and patient-related (morbid obesity vs lower body mass index groups) factors. However, specific surgeon factors (surgical volume, experience), surgical team factors (presence or absence of trainee), and patient factors (American Society of Anesthesiologists status) did not significantly alter the OT. Additional studies of larger health systems are needed to examine additional patient, surgeon, and hospital factors which may influence the OT.

Etiologic Classification Criteria of ARCO on Femoral Head Osteonecrosis Part 1: Glucocorticoid-Associated Osteonecrosis.

BACKGROUND: Glucocorticoid usage, a leading cause of osteonecrosis of the femoral head (ONFH), and its prevalence was reported in 25%-50% of non-traumatic ONFH patients. Nevertheless, there have been no unified criteria to classify glucocorticoid-associated ONFH (GA-ONFH). In 2015, the Association Research Circulation Osseous addressed the issue of developing a classification scheme. METHODS: In June 2017, a task force was set up to conduct a Delphi survey concerning ONFH. The task force invited 28 experts in osteonecrosis/bone circulation from 8 countries. Each round of the Delphi survey consists of questionnaires, analysis of replies, and feedback reports to the panel. After 3 rounds of the survey, the panel reached a consensus on the classification criteria. The response rates were 100% (Round 1), 96% (Round 2), and 100% (Round 3), respectively. RESULTS: The consensus on the classification criteria of GA-ONFH included the following: (1) patients should have a history of glucocorticoid use >2 g of prednisolone or its equivalent within a 3-month period; (2) osteonecrosis should be diagnosed within 2 years after glucocorticoid usage, and (3) patients should not have other risk factor(s) besides glucocorticoids. CONCLUSION: Association Research Circulation Osseous established classification criteria to standardize clinical studies concerning GA-ONFH.

Etiologic Classification Criteria of ARCO on Femoral Head Osteonecrosis Part 2: Alcohol-Associated Osteonecrosis.

BACKGROUND: Although alcohol is a leading risk factor for osteonecrosis of the femoral head (ONFH) and its prevalence reportedly ranges from 20% to 45%, there are no unified classification criteria for this subpopulation. In 2015, Association Research Circulation Osseous decided to develop classification criteria for alcohol-associated ONFH. METHODS: In June of 2017, Association Research Circulation Osseous formed a task force to conduct a Delphi survey. The task force invited 28 experts in osteonecrosis/bone circulation from 8 countries. Each round of the Delphi survey included questionnaires, analysis of replies, and feedback reports to the panel. After 3 rounds of the survey, consensus was reached on the classification criteria. The response rates for the 3 Delphi rounds were 100% (round 1), 96% (round 2), and 100% (round 3). RESULTS: The consensus on the classification criteria of alcohol-associated ONFH included the following: (1) patients should have a history of alcohol intake >400 mL/wk (320 g/wk, any type of alcoholic beverage) of pure ethanol for more than 6 months; (2) ONFH should be diagnosed within 1 year after alcohol intake of this dose; and (3) patients should not have other risk factor(s). CONCLUSION: ARCO-established classification criteria to standardize clinical studies concerning AA-ONFH.