Self-defined former smokers consume the highest opioid quantities following knee and shoulder arthroscopy.

PURPOSE: To identify risk factors associated with increased postoperative opioid consumption and inferior pain outcomes following knee and shoulder arthroscopy. METHODS: Using the data set from the NonOpioid Prescriptions after Arthroscopic Surgery in Canada (NO PAin) trial, eight prognostic factors were chosen a priori to evaluate their effect on opioid consumption and patient-reported pain following arthroscopic knee and shoulder surgery. The primary outcome was the number of oral morphine equivalents (OMEs) consumed at 2 and 6 weeks postoperatively. The secondary outcome was patient-reported postoperative pain using the Visual Analogue Scale (VAS) at 2 and 6 weeks postoperatively. A multivariable linear regression was used to analyse these outcomes with eight prognostic factors as independent variables. RESULTS: Tobacco usage was significantly associated with higher opioid usage at 2 (p < 0.001) and 6 weeks (p = 0.02) postoperatively. Former tobacco users had a higher 2-week (p = 0.002) and cumulative OME (p = 0.002) consumption compared to current and nonsmokers. Patients with a higher number of comorbidities (p = 0.006) and those who were employed (p = 0.006) reported higher pain scores at 6 weeks. Patients in the 'not employed/other' category had significantly lower pain scores at 6 weeks postoperatively (p = 0.046). CONCLUSION: Former smoking status was significantly associated with increased post-operative opioid consumption following knee and shoulder arthroscopy at 2 and 6 weeks postoperatively. Increased pain was found to be significantly associated with employment status and an increasing number of comorbidities at 6 weeks postoperatively. These findings can aid clinicians in identifying and mitigating increased opioid utilization as well as worse pain outcomes in high-risk patient populations. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: Level III, cohort study.

Tranexamic acid use in sarcoma surgery patients: A systematic review and meta-analysis.

INTRODUCTION: Perioperative bleeding increases morbidity and mortality in sarcoma patients. Tranexamic acid (TXA), an antifibrinolytic, is widely utilized in non-sarcoma orthopaedic surgeries, but its adoption in sarcoma surgery is hindered by concerns about thrombotic events. METHODS: Searches in Ovid MEDLINE, EMBASE, and CENTRAL were performed without date restrictions. Inclusion criteria encompassed sarcoma patients undergoing surgery with TXA intervention. Two authors independently screened studies, resolved conflicts, and assessed biases. RESULTS: Eight studies met inclusion criteria, comprising 2142 patients. TXA administration varied in dose and timing across studies. Meta-analysis revealed significantly reduced mean blood loss with TXA of -462.5 mL ([95% confidence interval [CI: -596.7, -328.31], p < 0.001) but no difference in transfusion rates (odds ratio [OR] = 0.51 [95% CI: 0.14-1.89]) or venous thromboembolism events (OR = 0.93 [95% CI: 0.40, 2.16]). Study biases were predominantly moderate to high due to retrospective designs and lack of control for confounders. Quality of reporting varied, with limitations identified in outcome reporting and effect size estimation. CONCLUSIONS: Despite evidence of reduced blood loss, the absence of prospective studies limits conclusive recommendations on TXA use in sarcoma surgery. Further research is warranted to determine optimal TXA regimens and assess safety concerns regarding thrombotic events in this patient population.

The utility of intraoperative marrow margin frozen section in extremity bone sarcoma resection.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Intraoperative frozen section analysis is commonly used to evaluate marrow margins during extremity bone sarcoma resections, but its efficacy in the era of magnetic resonance imaging is debated. This study aimed to compare the accuracy of intraoperative frozen section assessment with final pathology, assess its correlation with gross intraoperative margin assessment, and evaluate its impact on surgical decision making. METHODS: Consecutive patients undergoing extremity bone sarcoma resections from 2010 to 2022 at a single sarcoma center were included. Intraoperative frozen section and gross margin assessments were compared to final pathology using positive predictive values (PPV) and negative predictive values (NPV). Changes in surgical decisions due to positive intraoperative margins were recorded. RESULTS: Of 166 intraoperative frozen section marrow margins, four were indeterminant/positive, with two false positive/indeterminant findings and two false negatives compared to final pathology. Gross intraoperative assessment had no false positives and two false negatives. Frozen section analysis yielded a PPV of 50% (95% confidence interval [CI]: 16%-84%) and NPV of 98.8% (95% CI: 97%-100%), while gross assessment had a PPV of 100% (95% CI: 16%-100%) and NPV of 98.8% (95% CI: 97%-100%). Positive frozen section margins led to additional resections in three of four cases. CONCLUSIONS: Intraoperative frozen section analysis did not offer added clinical value beyond gross margin assessment in extremity bone sarcoma resections. It exhibited a low PPV and led to unnecessary additional resections. Gross intraoperative assessment proved adequate for margin evaluation, potentially saving time and resources.

Obesity increases the risk of major wound complications following pelvic resection for bone sarcoma.

BACKGROUND: Given the paucity of data, the objective of this study is to evaluate the association between obesity and major wound complications following pelvic bone sarcoma surgery specifically. METHODS: Patients who underwent pelvic resection for bone sarcoma from 2005 to 2021 with a minimum 6-month follow-up were reviewed. Patients with benign tumors, primary soft tissue sarcomas, local recurrence at presentation, pelvic metastatic disease, and underweight patients were excluded. A major wound complication was defined as the need for a secondary debridement procedure. Differences in baseline demographics, surgical factors, postoperative complications, and functional outcomes were compared between obese and nonobese patients. A multivariate logistic regression was performed to identify independent risk factors for major wound complications, and a Kaplan-Meier analysis to estimate overall survival between both groups. RESULTS: Of the 93 included patients, 21 were obese (body mass index ≥ 30 kg/m2). The obesity group had a significantly higher rate of major wound complication (52% vs. 26%, p = 0.034) and a lower Toronto Extremity Salvage Score at 1-year postoperatively (47.5 vs. 71.4, p = 0.025). Obesity was the only independent risk factor in the multivariate analysis. No differences in overall survival were demonstrated between groups. CONCLUSIONS: Obesity is a significant risk factor for major wound complications in pelvic bone sarcoma treatment. This highlights the importance of careful perioperative optimization and wound management.

Arthroscopy Association of Canada Position Statement on Opioid Prescription After Arthroscopic Surgery.

Background: Despite the ongoing opioid epidemic, most patients are still prescribed a significant number of opioid medications for pain management after arthroscopic surgery. There is a need for consensus among orthopaedic surgeons and solutions to aid providers in analgesic strategies that reduce the use of opioid pain medications. Purpose: This position statement was developed with a comprehensive systematic review and meta-analysis of exclusively randomized controlled trials (RCTs) to synthesize the best available evidence for managing acute postoperative pain after arthroscopic surgery. Study Design: Position statement. Methods: The Embase, MEDLINE, PubMed, Scopus, and Web of Science databases were searched from inception until August 10, 2022. Keywords included arthroscopy, opioids, analgesia, and pain, and associated variations. We included exclusively RCTs on adult patients to gather the best available evidence for managing acute postoperative pain after arthroscopic surgery. Patient characteristics, pain, and opioid data were extracted, data were analyzed, and trial bias was evaluated. Results: A total of 21 RCTs were identified related to the prescription of opioid-sparing pain medication after arthroscopic surgery. The following recommendations regarding noninvasive, postoperative pain management strategies were made: (1) multimodal oral nonopioid analgesic regimens-including at least 1 of acetaminophen-a nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug-can significantly reduce opioid consumption with no change in pain scores; (2) cryotherapy is likely to help with pain management, although the evidence on the optimal method of application (continuous-flow vs ice pack application) is unclear; (3) and (4) limited RCT evidence supports the efficacy of transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation and relaxation exercises in reducing opioid consumption after arthroscopy; and (5) limited RCT evidence exists against the efficacy of transdermal lidocaine patches in reducing opioid consumption. Conclusion: A range of nonopioid strategies exist that can reduce postarthroscopic procedural opioid consumption with equivalent vocal pain outcomes. Optimal strategies include multimodal analgesia with education and restricted/reduced opioid prescription.

Risk Factors for All-Cause Early Reoperation Following Tumor Resection and Endoprosthetic Reconstruction: A Secondary Analysis from the PARITY Trial.

BACKGROUND: Oncologic resection and endoprosthetic reconstruction of lower-extremity musculoskeletal tumors are complex procedures fraught with multiple modes of failure. A robust assessment of factors contributing to early reoperation in this population has not been performed in a large prospective cohort. The aim of the present study was to assess risk factors for early reoperation in patients who underwent tumor excision and endoprosthetic reconstruction, with use of data from the Prophylactic Antibiotic Regimens in Tumor Surgery (PARITY) trial. METHODS: Baseline characteristics were assessed, including age, sex, tumor type, tumor location, presence of a soft-tissue mass, diabetes, smoking status, chemotherapy use, and neutropenia. Operative factors were recorded, including operative time, topical antibiotics, silver-coated prosthetics, endoprosthetic fixation, extra-articular resection, length of bone resected, margins, tranexamic acid, postoperative antibiotics, negative-pressure wound therapy, and length of stay. Univariate analysis was utilized to explore the differences between patients who did and did not undergo reoperation within 1 year postoperatively, and a multivariate Cox proportional hazards regression model was utilized to explore the predictors of reoperation within 1 year. RESULTS: A total of 155 (25.7%) of 604 patients underwent ≥1 reoperation. In univariate analysis, tumor type (p < 0.001), presence of a soft-tissue mass (p = 0.045), operative time (p < 0.001), use of negative-pressure wound therapy (p = 0.010), and hospital length of stay (p < 0.001) were all significantly associated with reoperation. On multivariate assessment, tumor type (benign aggressive bone tumor versus primary bone malignancy; hazard ratio [HR], 0.15; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.04 to 0.63; p = 0.01), operative time (HR per hour, 1.15; 95% CI, 1.10 to 1.23; p < 0.001), and use of negative-pressure wound therapy (HR, 1.93; 95% CI, 1.30 to 2.90; p = 0.002) remained significant predictors of reoperation within 1 year. CONCLUSIONS: Independent variables associated with reoperation within 1 year in patients who underwent tumor resection and endoprosthetic reconstruction included tumor type (benign aggressive bone tumor versus primary bone malignancy), operative time, and use of negative-pressure wound therapy. These results will help to inform patients and surgeons regarding the risk of reoperation by diagnosis and reinforce operative time as a factor influencing reoperation. These results also support further investigation into the use of negative-pressure wound therapy at the time of surgery in this patient population. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: Therapeutic Level II. See Instructions for Authors for a complete description of levels of evidence.

Opioid Use in Surgical Management in Musculoskeletal Oncology.

BACKGROUND: Opioid prescribing in the context of orthopaedic surgery has been recognized as having a critical role in the ongoing opioid epidemic. Given the negative consequences of chronic opioid use, great efforts have been made to reduce both preoperative and postoperative opioid prescribing and consumption in orthopaedic surgery. Musculoskeletal oncology patients represent a unique subset of patients, and there is a paucity of data evaluating perioperative opioid consumption and the risk for chronic use. The objective of the present study was to describe opioid consumption patterns and evaluate predictors of chronic opioid use in musculoskeletal oncology patients undergoing limb-salvage surgery and endoprosthetic reconstruction. METHODS: The present study was a secondary analysis of the recently completed PARITY (Prophylactic Antibiotic Regimens in Tumor Surgery) trial and included musculoskeletal oncology patients undergoing lower-extremity endoprosthetic reconstruction. The primary outcome was the incidence of opioid consumption over the study period. A multivariate binomial logistic regression model was created to explore predictors of chronic opioid consumption at 1 year postoperatively. RESULTS: Overall, 193 (33.6%) of 575 patients were consuming opioids preoperatively. Postoperatively, the number of patients consuming opioids was 82 (16.7%) of 492 at 3 months, 37 (8%) of 460 patients at 6 months, and 28 (6.6%) of 425 patients at 1 year. Of patients consuming opioids preoperatively, 12 (10.2%) of 118 had continued to consume opioids at 1 year postoperatively. The adjusted regression model found that only surgery for metastatic bone disease was predictive of chronic opioid use (odds ratio, 4.90; 95% confidence interval, 1.54 to 15.40; p = 0.007). Preoperative opioid consumption, older age, sex, longer surgical times, reoperation rates, and country of origin were not predictive of chronic use. CONCLUSIONS: Despite a high prevalence of preoperative opioid use, an invasive surgical procedure, and a high rate of reoperation, few patients had continued to consume opioids at 1 year postoperatively. The presence of metastases was associated with chronic opioid use. These results are a substantial departure from the existing orthopaedic literature evaluating other patient populations, and they suggest that specific prescribing guidelines are warranted for musculoskeletal oncology patients. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: Therapeutic Level IV. See Instructions for Authors for a complete description of levels of evidence.

The Impact of Implant Fixation Type on Reoperation Rates Following Endoprosthetic Reconstruction Surgery.

BACKGROUND: Prospective evidence supporting the use of cemented or uncemented implants in endoprosthetic reconstruction is lacking. The present study aimed to determine the effect of cemented fixation compared with uncemented fixation on the rate of all-cause reoperation at 1 year postoperatively. METHODS: This is a secondary analysis of the Prophylactic Antibiotic Regimens In Tumor Surgery (PARITY) trial. A total of 503 patients who underwent surgical excision and endoprosthetic reconstruction of a lower-extremity bone tumor were included in this analysis. A multivariate Cox proportional hazards model was utilized to assess the independent relationship between fixation group and implant survivorship, with all-cause reoperation as the end point. RESULTS: There were 388 cemented implants and 115 uncemented implants. Participants had a mean age of 42.7 years (standard deviation, 22.0 years), and 59% were male. Overall, 131 reoperations were identified over the 1-year follow-up period. There were no significant differences found in all-cause reoperation (hazard ratio [HR], 1.05; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.70 to 1.57; p = 0.761), septic reoperation, or aseptic reoperation between cemented and uncemented fixation at 1 year postoperatively. The Cox regression analysis demonstrated that total operative time (HR per hour, 1.10; 95% CI, 1.02 to 1.20; p = 0.019) was an independent predictor of reoperation. The risk of reoperation was lower in patients with benign aggressive disease (HR, 0.11; 95% CI, 0.02 to 0.80; p = 0.029) or metastatic bone disease (HR, 0.30; 95% CI, 0.11 to 0.85; p = 0.023). Patients who underwent cemented fixation showed clinically meaningful functional improvement at 1 year postoperatively. CONCLUSIONS: Cemented compared with uncemented fixation has no effect on 1-year all-cause reoperation rates in endoprosthetic reconstruction surgery. Further research is required to investigate the long-term survival of cemented versus uncemented implants. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: Prognostic Level IV. See Instructions for Authors for a complete description of levels of evidence.

Pediatric and Adult Patients Have Similar Functional Improvement After Endoprosthetic Reconstruction of Lower-Extremity Tumors.

BACKGROUND: Although the treatment of lower-extremity bone tumors is similar between adult and pediatric patients, differences in outcomes are unknown. Outcomes for lower-extremity oncologic reconstruction have been challenging to study because of the low incidence and heterogeneity in disease and patient characteristics. The PARITY (Prophylactic Antibiotic Regimens in Tumor Surgery) trial is the largest prospective data set assembled to date for patients with lower-extremity bone tumors and presents an opportunity to investigate differences in outcomes between these groups. METHODS: Patient details were acquired from the prospectively collected PARITY trial database. The 1993 Musculoskeletal Tumor Society (MSTS-93) and Toronto Extremity Salvage Score (TESS) questionnaires were administered preoperatively and at 3, 6, and 12 months postoperatively. Continuous outcomes were compared between groups with use of the Student t test, and dichotomous outcomes were compared with use of the Pearson chi-square test. RESULTS: A total of 150 pediatric and 447 adult patients were included. Pediatric patients were more likely than adult patients to have a primary bone tumor (146 of 150 compared with 287 of 447, respectively; p < 0.001) and to have received adjuvant chemotherapy (140 of 149 compared with 195 of 441, respectively; p < 0.001). Reoperation rates were not significantly different between age groups (45 of 105 pediatric patients compared with 106 of 341 adult patients; p ≤ 0.13). Pediatric patients had higher mean MSTS-93 scores (64.7 compared with 53.8 among adult patients; p < 0.001) and TESS (73.4 compared with 60.4 among adult patients; p < 0.001) at baseline, which continued to 1 year postoperatively (mean MSTS-93 score, 82.0 compared with 76.8 among adult patients; p = 0.02; mean TESS, 87.7 compared with 78.6 among adult patients; p < 0.001). Despite the differences in outcomes between cohorts, pediatric and adult patients demonstrated similar improvement in MSTS-93 scores (mean difference, 17.4 and 20.0, respectively; p = 0.48) and TESS (mean difference, 14.1 and 14.7, respectively; p = 0.83) from baseline to 1 year postoperatively. CONCLUSIONS: Pediatric patients had significantly better functional outcomes than adult patients at nearly all of the included postoperative time points; however, pediatric and adult patients showed similar mean improvement in these outcomes at 1 year postoperatively. These findings may be utilized to help guide the postoperative expectations of patients undergoing oncologic reconstruction. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: Prognostic Level II. See Instructions for Authors for a complete description of levels of evidence.

Patient and Surgical Risk Factors for Surgical Site Infection in Lower-Extremity Oncological Endoprosthetic Reconstruction: A Secondary Analysis of the PARITY Trial Data.

BACKGROUND: The specific risk factors for surgical site infection (SSI) in orthopaedic oncology patients undergoing endoprosthetic reconstruction have not previously been evaluated in a large prospective cohort. In the current study, we aimed to define patient- and procedure-specific risk factors for SSI in patients who underwent surgical excision and endoprosthetic reconstruction for lower-extremity bone or soft-tissue tumors using the prospectively collected data of the Prophylactic Antibiotic Regimens in Tumor Surgery (PARITY) trial. METHODS: PARITY was a multicenter, blinded, randomized controlled trial with a parallel 2-arm design that aimed to determine the effect of a long duration (5 days) versus short duration (24 hours) of postoperative prophylactic antibiotics on the rate of SSI in patients undergoing surgical excision and endoprosthetic reconstruction of the femur or tibia. In this secondary analysis of the PARITY data, a multivariate Cox proportional hazards regression model was constructed to explore predictors of SSI within 1 year postoperatively. RESULTS: A total of 96 (15.9%) of the 604 patients experienced an SSI. Of the 23 variables analyzed in the univariate analysis, 4 variables achieved significance: preoperative diagnosis, operative time, volume of muscle excised, and hospital length of stay (LOS). However, only hospital LOS was found to be independently predictive of SSI in the multivariate regression analysis (hazard ratio per day = 1.03; 95% confidence interval = 1.01 to 1.05; p < 0.001). An omnibus test of model coefficients demonstrated that the model showed significant improvement over the null model (χ2 = 78.04; p < 0.001). No multicollinearity was found. CONCLUSIONS: This secondary analysis of the PARITY study data found that the only independent risk factor for SSI on multivariate analysis was hospital LOS. It may therefore be reasonable for clinicians to consider streamlined discharge plans for orthopaedic oncology patients to potentially reduce the risk of SSI. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: Prognostic Level II. See Instructions for Authors for a complete description of levels of evidence.

Central Adjudication Committee and Clinical Site Investigator Agreement on Outcomes in the PARITY Trial: A Secondary Analysis of the PARITY Trial Data.

BACKGROUND: The detection of a surgical site infection (SSI) in patients with metal implants requires a high degree of clinical acumen. The inherent subjectivity of SSI diagnosis poses a challenge in the design of surgical trials because this subjectivity raises concern for outcome assessment bias. Central Adjudication Committees (CACs) are often utilized to minimize the variability in outcome assessment. Little research has been done to determine the reliability of outcome assessment in trials utilizing a CAC. In the present study, we determined the agreement between the study CAC and the clinical site investigators for the primary and secondary outcome assessments. METHODS: The Prophylactic Antibiotic Regimens in Tumor Surgery (PARITY) trial was a multicenter, blinded, parallel 2-arm, randomized controlled trial that aimed to determine the effect of a 5-day versus 1-day postoperative prophylactic antibiotic regimen on the rate of SSI in patients undergoing surgical excision of tumors in the femur or tibia. The blinded PARITY CAC adjudicated all primary and secondary outcomes identified during the 1-year study follow-up. In the present secondary analysis, the Cohen kappa statistic was utilized to determine the level of agreement. RESULTS: The primary outcome of SSI diagnosis demonstrated a substantial level of agreement between the CAC and the site investigators (0.699; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.595 to 0.803]). Categorization of the SSI (i.e., superficial, deep, or organ space) showed moderate agreement (0.470; 95% CI, 0.382 to 0.558). Secondary outcomes such as the types of reoperations and the indication for reoperation typically showed substantial to almost perfect agreement, whereas antibiotic-related complications showed fair agreement (0.241; 95% CI, 0.000 to 0.474). CONCLUSIONS: Although there was a substantial level of agreement between the PARITY CAC and site investigators on the diagnosis of an SSI, as well as typically at least substantial agreement on the causes and types of reoperations, there was less agreement regarding the type of SSI and the occurrence of an antibiotic-related complication. Therefore, the CAC appears to have provided value when adjudicating the depth of infection and when determining the causality of medical complications associated with antibiotics. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: Prognostic Level II. See Instructions for Authors for a complete description of levels of evidence.

Opioid-Sparing Strategies in Arthroscopic Surgery: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Randomized Controlled Trials.

BACKGROUND: Opioid overprescription is a problem in orthopaedic surgery. Arthroscopic surgery, given its minimally invasive nature, represents an opportunity to minimize opioid prescription and consumption by using effective pain management adjuncts. Thus, the primary question posed in this study was which noninvasive pain management modalities can effectively manage pain and reduce opioid intake after arthroscopic surgery. METHODS: The databases PubMed, MEDLINE, EMBASE, Scopus, and Web of Science were searched on August 10, 2022. Randomized controlled trials (RCTs) evaluating noninvasive pain management strategies in arthroscopy patients were evaluated. Eligible studies were selected through a systematic screening process. Meta-analysis was performed for pain scores and opioid consumption at time points which had sufficient data available. RESULTS: Twenty-one RCTs were included, with a total of 2,148 patients undergoing shoulder, knee, and hip arthroscopy. Meta-analysis comparing nonopioid, oral analgesic regimens, with or without patient education components, with the standard of care or placebo demonstrated no difference in pain scores at 24 hours, 4 to 7 days, or 14 days postoperatively. Nonopioid regimens also resulted in significantly lower opioid consumption in the first 24 hours postoperatively (mean difference, -37.02 mg oral morphine equivalents, 95% confidence interval, -74.01 to -0.03). Transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation (TENS), cryotherapy, and zolpidem were also found to effectively manage pain and reduce opioid use in a limited number of studies. CONCLUSIONS: A range of noninvasive pain management strategies exist to manage pain and reduce opioid use after arthroscopic procedures. The strongest evidence base supports the use of multimodal nonopioid oral analgesics, with some studies incorporating patient education components. Some evidence supports the efficacy of TENS, cryotherapy, and nonbenzodiazepine sleeping aids. Direction from governing bodies is an important next step to incorporate these adjuncts into routine clinical practice to manage pain and reduce the amount of opioids prescribed and consumed after arthroscopic surgery. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: Level II, systematic review and meta-analysis of RCTs. See Instructions for Authors for a complete description of the levels of evidence.

Chondrosarcoma: A Clinical Review.

Chondrosarcomas are a diverse group of malignant cartilaginous matrix-producing neoplasms. Conventional chondrosarcomas are a continuum of disease based on the biologic activity of the tumor. The tumors range from the relatively biologically benign low-grade tumors or intermediate atypical cartilaginous tumors (ACTs), to malignant, aggressive high-grade tumors. The clinical presentation, radiographic and pathologic findings, treatments and outcomes vary significantly based on the histologic grade of the tumor. Chondrosarcomas present a diagnostic dilemma, particularly in the differentiation between high- and intermediate-grade tumors and that of low-grade tumors from benign enchondromas. A multidisciplinary team at a tertiary sarcoma centre allows for optimal care of these patients.

Routine use of antibiotic-laden bone cement in total knee arthroplasty is a cost-effective practice in the single-payer healthcare system.

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to determine the cost-effectiveness of antibiotic-laden bone cement (ALBC) in primary total knee arthroplasty (TKA) from the perspective of a single-payer healthcare system. METHODS: A cost-utility analysis (CUA) was performed over a 2-year time horizon comparing primary TKA with either ALBC or regular bone cement (RBC) from the perspective of the single-payer Canadian healthcare system. All costs were in 2020 Canadian dollars. Health utilities were in the form of quality-adjusted life years (QALYs). Model inputs for cost, utilities and probabilities were derived from the literature as well as regional and national databases. One-way deterministic sensitivity analysis was performed. RESULTS: Primary TKA with ALBC was found to be more cost-effective compared to primary TKA with RBC with an incremental cost-effectiveness ratio (ICER) of -3,637.79 CAD/QALY. The use of routine ALBC remained cost-effective even with cost increases of up to 50% per bag of ALBC. TKA with ALBC was no longer cost-effective if the rate of PJI following this practice increased 52%, or the rate of PJI following the use of RBC decreased 27%. CONCLUSIONS: The routine use of ALBC in TKA is a cost-effective practice in the single-payer Canadian healthcare system. This remains to be the case even with a 50% increase in the cost of ALBC. Policy makers and hospital administrators of single-payer healthcare systems can leverage this model to inform their local funding policies. Future prospective reviews and randomized controlled trials from the perspective of various healthcare models can further shed light on this issue. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: III.

Management of giant cell tumors of the distal radius: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

PURPOSE: The treatment of giant cell tumors (GCT) of the distal radius remains challenging, with no consensus on the optimal surgical management. Surgical management remains the mainstay of treatment with options including intralesional curettage and en-bloc resection with reconstruction. The objective of this systematic review and meta-analysis was to evaluate and compare the outcomes of these two procedures. METHODS: Using OVID-Medline and Embase databases, a systematic literature search was performed. Comparative studies, assessing intralesional curettage and en-bloc resection in patients with GCTs of the distal radius, were included. Data regarding rates of local recurrence, metastasis, overall complications, and functional outcomes, were collected and analyzed. The ROBINS-I tool was utilized for risk of bias appraisal within each study outcome. RESULTS: Thirteen studies (n = 373 patients) reporting on 191 intralesional curettage procedures and 182 en-bloc resections were included in the analysis. The average age of participants was 31.9 (SD ± 2.4) years and average follow-up was 7.1 (SD ± 3.6) years. Patients that underwent intralesional curettage were more likely to develop local recurrence (Risk Ratio (RR) 3.3, 95% CI, [2.1, 5.4], p < 0.00001) when compared to patients that underwent en-bloc resection. In Campanacci grade 3 lesions, the risk for local recurrence was 5.9 (95% CI, [2.2, 16.3], p = 0.0006) times higher in patients that received intralesional curettage. Patients that underwent intralesional curettage showed an 84% reduction in the relative risk of developing overall complications compared to en-bloc resection (95% CI, [0.1, 0.4], p < 0.00001), and a larger decrease in Visual Analog Scale and lower Disabilities of the Arm, Shoulder, and Hand (DASH) scores (p < 0.00001). Risk ratio for developing a local recurrence, with PMMA versus bone graft following an intralesional procedure was not significant (RR 1.2, 95% CI, [0.6, 2.6], p = 0.62). CONCLUSIONS: In the surgical management of GCT of the distal radius, intralesional curettage increased local recurrence compared to en-bloc resection with reconstruction, particularly in grade 3 tumors. However, it led to significantly fewer operative complications, lower pain scores, and improved functional outcomes compared to en-bloc resection. Both treatment options remain relevant in the contemporary management of GCTs of the distal radius. Surgical decision making should include both patient and tumor factors when determining the optimal treatment strategy for these patients. LEVEL 3 EVIDENCE: Meta-analysis of Level 3 studies.

The quality of diagnostic studies used for the diagnostic criteria of periprosthetic joint infections.

BACKGROUND: Although periprosthetic joint infection (PJI) is a serious complication following a total joint arthroplasty procedure, there remains uncertainty regarding the diagnosis of PJI due to the lack of a globally accepted, standardized definition. The goal of this review is to critically analyze the quality of the evidence used for the novel 2018 MSIS PJI definition and identify gaps and limitations with using the Quality Assessment of Diagnostic Accuracy Studies (QUADAS-2) tool. METHODS: References from the modified 2018 MSIS definition for PJI by Parvizi et al. were retrieved and manually reviewed. A total of 11 studies were assessed using a validated QUADAS-2 tool. RESULTS: Many included studies had an unclear or high risk of bias for the Index Test domain due to a lack of blinding and lack of prespecified thresholds. A majority of studies utilized Youden's J statistic to optimize the thresholds which may diminish external validity. Likewise, several studies were assessed to have an unclear and high risk of bias for the Flow and Timing domain primarily due to a lack of reporting and a large number of exclusions. Overall, there was a low risk of bias for the choice of reference standard, its conduct and interpretation, as well as for the Patient Selection domain. CONCLUSION: Although the literature used for the MSIS 2018 PJI definition is fraught with potential sources of bias, there may be a trend toward an improvement in the quality of evidence when compared to the earlier definition of PJI.

Failure to disclose industry funding impacts outcomes in randomized controlled trials of platelet-rich plasma.

PURPOSE: Platelet-rich plasma (PRP) represents a highly profitable biological therapy. Platelet-rich plasma is widely used to treat musculoskeletal disorders despite mixed evidence of its efficacy. As evidenced by literature from other domains, industry funding may influence the results of clinical trials. The objective of the current study was to determine the association between industry funding and positive results for randomized controlled trials (RCTs) assessing the efficacy of PRP in musculoskeletal disorders. METHODS: A search of four databases was conducted. Included studies were RCTs comparing PRP to any non-PRP comparator in adults (18 years old or over) with musculoskeletal disorders and had full text available in English. Studies were excluded if they were published before 2016 or were non-human trials. A multivariate binomial logistic regression model was created to explore predictors of statistically significant findings. Covariates included the presence of industry funding, sample size, and length of study follow-up. 1440 records were screened with 87 trials included in the final analysis. RESULTS: Of the 87 studies, 61 (70%) reported a statistically significant primary outcome. The presence of industry funding was not predictive of a statistically significant primary outcome [OR = 0.36, 95% CI 0.096-1.36, (n.s.)]. Studies that did not state whether industry funding was present had a higher chance of reporting a statistically significant primary outcome (OR = 3.61, 95% CI 1.1-11.9, p = 0.035). Sample size and length of follow-up were not predictive of a statistically significant primary outcome. CONCLUSION: The results of the current study conclude that industry funding had no impact on the reporting of positive results for RCTs investigating PRP in musculoskeletal disorders. However, not disclosing sources of funding was associated with a higher likelihood of reporting positive results. The results of trials that fail to disclose funding sources should be interpreted with caution in the PRP literature. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: I.

Common errors in the design of orthopaedic trials: Has anything changed?

INTRODUCTION: The adoption of evidence-based orthopaedics has shifted the focus from expert base opinions and anecdotal evidence to a focus on integrating the best available clinical research. This shift has led to an increased focus on randomized controlled trials (RCTs) within the field. Although RCTs are considered the highest level of evidence, methodologic errors can introduce bias and limit the validity of the results. Early trials were hampered by lack of blinding, inadequate sample sizes and other design flaws. The objective of this review was to examine the current literature to determine if the design and execution of RCTs has improved. DESIGN ERRORS: The awareness of the importance of sample size increased over time with substantially more trials reporting sample size calculations. However, many contemporary RCTs are still underpowered and fail to reach their calculated sample size. Given the challenges of surgically based RCTs, the majority of historical trials lacked blinding, increasing the risk of bias. There is evidence that there has been a concerted effort to increase the blinding in RCTs, particularly in outcome assessors. A more recent development in the design of surgical trials is the introduction of expertise-based trial designs in which patients are randomized to a surgeon with expertise in a particular intervention. These trials minimize the bias that can arise from differential expertise bias and have the potential to improve the validity and feasibility of RCTs. Finally, there has been an increased focus on the reporting of patient reported outcomes (PROs) in orthopaedic RCTs. Alongside this movement has been the development of minimal important differences (MIDs) to define the changes that are relevant and meaningful to patients. Both PROs and MIDs should be taken into consideration when calculating the sample size and study power in clinical trials. CONCLUSIONS: Although marked improvements have been made in the design and implementation of trials, there is still considerable room for improvement. Adequately blinded and powered studies evaluating clinically important outcomes and differences should be key considerations in trial design moving forward.

Risk factors for recurrence of periprosthetic joint infection following operative management: a cohort study with average 5-year follow-up.

Background: Periprosthetic joint infections (PJIs) remain challenging to eradicate even after surgical management, which in most cases involves either debridement, antibiotics and implant retention (DAIR) or single- or two-staged revision. The purpose of this study is to determine predictors of PJI recurrence after operative management for PJI, and to determine differences in recurrence-free survival between DAIR and staged revision. Methods: This is a retrospective analysis of prospectively collected data of revision hip and knee arthroplasty surgeries due to PJI between 2011 and 2018 at an academic hospital. Any patient undergoing revision surgery for PJI was included except if the index surgery information was unknown. The primary outcome was confirmed PJI recurrence. Multivariable logistic regression analysis was utilized to determine the relationship between the predictor variables and outcome variable. Log rank testing was used to compare recurrence-free survival between DAIR and staged revision. Results: A total of 89 patients (91 joints) underwent revision surgery due to PJI. Younger age and presence of a sinus tract were statistically significant for risk of PJI recurrence. A multivariable logistic regression model including both variables was significant for predicting recurrence of PJI (χ2=10.2, P=0.006). Survival was not significantly different between patients who underwent DAIR versus a staged revision. Conclusions: Younger patients and those with a chronic sinus tract are at significantly higher risk of recurrent PJI. This study also demonstrated that PJI can be successfully managed in the majority of cases with DAIR or staged revision.