Outcomes following robotic assisted total knee arthroplasty compared to conventional total knee arthroplasty.

INTRODUCTION: This study elaborates on previous research to compare length of stay, complication rates, and total cost between patients undergoing robotic assisted total knee arthroplasty (rTKA) and conventional total knee arthroplasty (cTKA). We hypothesized that patients undergoing rTKA would have reduced length of stay, lower complication rates, improved perioperative outcomes, and higher total healthcare costs than those undergoing cTKA. METHODS: Data were collected from the National Inpatient Sample Database Healthcare Cost and Utilization Project between the years 2016-2019. Patients undergoing rTKA and cTKA were identified under International Classification of Diseases, 10th revision codes (ICD-10-CM/PCS). Length of stay, specific complications, and total costs were examined at time point. SPSS (v 27.0 8, IBM Corp. Armonk, NY) was utilized to compare demographic and analytical statistics between rTKA and cTKA. rTKA and cTKA were compared both before and after propensity matching. RESULTS: 17,249 rTKA (3.09%) and 541,122 cTKA (96.91%) were included. Compared to cTKA patients, rTKA patients had reduced average length of stay of 1.91 days (p < 0.001), higher average total cost of $67133.34 (p < 0.001), reduced periprosthetic infection (OR = 0.027, p < 0.001), periprosthetic dislocation (OR = 0.117, p < 0.001), periprosthetic mechanical complication (OR = 0.315, p < 0.001), pulmonary embolism (OR = 0.358, p < 0.001), transfusion (OR = 0.366, p < 0.001), pneumonia (OR = 0.468, p = 0.002), deep vein thrombosis (OR = 0.479, p = 0.001), and blood loss anemia (OR = 0.728, p < 0.001). These differences remained statistically significant even after propensity matching. CONCLUSIONS: This study supports our hypothesis that rTKA is associated with fewer complications, but higher average total cost than cTKA. Our study shows that rTKA can be safely performed in older and sicker patients. Future studies assessing the impacts of these findings on patient reported outcomes would provide further insight into the benefits of rTKA. Furthermore, identifying patient specific factors that place them at risk for increased complications with cTKA as opposed to rTKA could provide surgeons insight on the method of TKA that maximizes patient outcomes while minimizing healthcare cost.

Racial variations in complications and costs following total knee arthroplasty: a retrospective matched cohort study.

INTRODUCTION: In this study, we evaluate how race corresponds to specific complications and costs following total knee arthroplasty (TKA). Our hypothesis was that minority patients, comprising Black, Asian, and Hispanic patients, would have higher complication and revision rates and costs than White patients. METHODS: Data from 2014 to 2016 were collected from a large commercial insurance database. TKA patients were assigned under Current Procedural Terminology (CPT-27447) and International Statistical Classification of Diseases (ICD-9-P-8154) codes. Minority patients were compared to White patients before and after matching for age, gender, and tobacco use, diabetes, and obesity comorbidities. Standardized complications, revisions, and total costs at 30 days, 90 days, and 1 year were compared between the groups using unequal variance t tests. RESULTS: Overall, 140,601 White (92%), 10,247 Black (6.7%), 1072 Asian (0.67%), and 1725 Hispanic (1.1%) TKA patients were included. At baseline, minority patients had 7-10% longer lengths of stay (p = 0.0001) and Black and Hispanic patients had higher Charlson and Elixhauser comorbidity indices (p = 0.0001), while Asian patients had a lower Elixhauser comorbidity index (p < 0.0001). Black patients had significantly higher complication rates and higher rates of revision (p = 0.03). Minority patients were charged 10-32% more (p < 0.0001). Following matching, all minority patients had lengths of stay 8-10% longer (p = 0.001) and Black patients had higher Charlson and Elixhauser comorbidity indices (p < 0.0001) while Asian patients had a lower Elixhauser comorbidity index (p = 0.0008). Black patients had more equal complication rates and there was no significant difference in revisions in any minority cohort. All minority cohorts had significantly higher total costs at all time points, ranging from 9 to 31% (p < 0.0001). CONCLUSION: Compared to White patients, Black patients had significantly increased rates of complications, along with greater total costs, but not revisions. Asian and Hispanic patients, however, did not have significant differences in complications or revisions yet still had higher costs. As a result, this study corroborates our hypothesis that Black patients have higher rates of complications and costs than White patients following total knee arthroplasty and recommends efforts be taken to tackle health inequities to create more fairness in healthcare. This same hypothesis, however, was not supported when evaluating Asian and Hispanic patients, probably because of the few patients included in the database and deserves further investigation.

Complications and Costs Associated With Ethnicity Following Total Hip Arthroplasty: A Retrospective Matched Cohort Study.

BACKGROUND: Minority patients often have greater numbers of complications, revisions, and costs after total hip arthroplasty (THA). This study investigates how race correlates with specific surgical complications, revisions, and total costs following THA both before and after propensity matching. METHODS: Data from 2014-2016 were collected from a large commercial insurance database known as PearlDiver. THA patients were assigned under Current Procedural Terminology (CPT-27130) and International Statistical Classification of Diseases (ICD-9-P-8151) codes and then divided into groups based on racial status in the database. Patients of different ethnicities including White, Black, Asian, and Hispanic patients were compared in regard to age, gender, comorbidities, lengths of stay, and surgical complications and costs at thirty days, ninety days, and one year using unequal variance t-tests. Black, Asian, and Hispanic patients are collectively referred to as minority patients. Patient comparisons were done both before and after matching for age, gender, tobacco use, diabetes, and obesity comorbidities. RESULTS: A total of 73,688 White (93%), 4,822 Black (6%), 268 Asian (0.3%), and 420 Hispanic (0.5%) THA patients were included. Significantly more minority patients underwent THA under the age of 65 and had higher comorbidity indices and lengths of stay. Black patients had significantly higher complication rates, but there was no significant difference in rates of revision in any minority group. Minority patients were charged 9%-83% more. After matching, Black and Hispanic patients maintained higher comorbidity indices and lengths of stay. Black patients had a spectrum of complication rates but significantly decreased revision rates. Furthermore, after matching, minority patients were charged 5%-65% more. CONCLUSIONS: Black patients experienced significantly greater rates of complications and higher total costs; whereas, Asian and Hispanic patients did not have significant differences in complications but did have higher costs. Therefore, this study aligns with previous studies and supports our hypothesis that Black ethnicity patients have worse outcomes than White ethnicity patients after THA, advocating for reducing health disparities and establishing more equitable healthcare, but does not support our hypothesis for Asian and Hispanic patients, likely due to a small study population size, warranting further research into the topic.