Risk factors associated with persistent chronic opioid use following THA.

INTRODUCTION: An understanding of patient characteristics associated with persistent chronic opioid use after total joint arthroplasty (TJA) will allow surgeons to better manage these patients. Our study aims to identify risk factors among preoperative chronic opioid users who continue to chronically use narcotics after total hip arthroplasty (THA). METHODS: A retrospective analysis was performed on 256 THA recipients using the state's mandated opioid monitoring program to identify preoperative chronic opioid users. Chronic users were stratified into two cohorts based on their use 6 months after surgery: (1) persistent chronic and (2) previous chronic users. Patient demographics and relevant histories were abstracted and comparatively assessed between the cohorts. In addition, an analysis was performed to calculate which preoperative opioid dose was most predictive of chronic use. RESULTS: Within the study population, 54 patients were identified as preoperative chronic opioid users. Of them, 13 (24.1%) were identified as persistent chronic users 6 months following surgery. Specific characteristics associated with a higher likelihood of persistent chronic opioid use included: male gender, ASA score > 2, and Medicare as a payer type. A 33 mg/day morphine-equivalent dose consumption prior to surgery was most predictive for persistent chronic opioid use. CONCLUSION: Our study demonstrates that patients who are male, have an ASA > 2, and use Medicare are at greater risk of persistent chronic opioid use. Thus, given the poor outcomes associated with chronic opioid use, these findings may help guide surgeons' clinical decision-making process when encountering patients with a history of opioid use.

Perioperative Orthopedic Surgical Home: Optimizing Total Joint Arthroplasty Candidates and Preventing Readmission.

BACKGROUND: It is well recognized that unplanned readmissions following total joint arthroplasty (TJA) are more prevalent in patients with comorbidities. However, few investigators have delayed surgery and medically optimized patients prior to surgery. In its current form, the Perioperative Orthopedic Surgical Home (POSH) is a surgeon-led screening and optimization initiative targeting 8 common modifiable comorbidities. METHODS: A total of 4188 patients who underwent TJA between January 2014 and December 2016 were retrospectively screened by the Readmission Risk Assessment tool (RRAT) score. one thousand one hundred and ninety four subjects had a preoperative RRAT score ≥3 and were eligible for inclusion. Patients were then separated into 2 cohorts based on whether they were enrolled into the POSH initiative (POSH; n = 216) or continued with surgery (non-POSH; n = 978) despite their risk. RESULTS: Since the implementation of the POSH initiative, patients with RRAT scores ranging from 3 to 5 have experienced lower 30-day (1.6% vs 5.3%, P = .03) and 90-day (3.2% vs 7.4%, P < .05) readmission rates when compared to the non-POSH cohort. Only 15.3% of medically optimized patients enrolled in the POSH initiative were discharged to a post-acute care facility, whereas 23.4% of non-POSH patients were discharged to a post-acute care facility (P = .01). There were no differences in length of stay and infection rates between the 2 cohorts. Moreover, 90-day episode-of-care costs were 14.9% greater among non-POSH Medicare TJA recipients and 32.6% higher if a readmission occurred. CONCLUSION: The identification and medical optimization of comorbidities prior to surgical intervention may enhance the value of care TJA candidates receive. A standardized multidisciplinary approach to the medical optimization of high-risk TJA candidates may improve patient engagement and perioperative outcomes, while reducing cost associated with TJA. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: Level III, Retrospective Cohort Study.

Outpatient Total Hip Arthroplasty Has Minimal Short-Term Complications With the Use of Institutional Protocols.

BACKGROUND: Interest in outpatient/same-day discharge (SDD) total hip arthroplasty (THA) has been increasing over the last several years. There is considerable debate in the literature regarding the complication and readmission rates of these patients. To evaluate and validate the safety and efficacy of our institutional SDD THA care pathway, we compared the outcomes of patients undergoing SDD THA with patients who had a similar comorbidity profile and underwent inpatient THA. METHODS: A retrospective review was conducted on 164 patients who underwent SDD THA from January 2015 to September 2016. The Risk of Readmission Tool, a validated risk stratification instrument, was applied to all inpatient THAs performed from June 2014 to December 2016. A cutoff Risk of Readmission Tool score < 3 was used to produce a cohort of 1858 inpatient THA patients, all of whom had a similar risk profile to patients who underwent SDD THA. Medicare patients were excluded from the inpatient THA cohort, which left a final inpatient sample of 1315 patients. Each cohort was evaluated for demographic variables, length of stay, 30-/90-day readmissions, and discharge disposition. RESULTS: The SDD THA cohort had significantly lower body mass index (26.9 vs 28.2 kg/m2; P = .002), had fewer minorities (89.6% vs 66.3% Caucasians; P < .001), was exclusively commercial insurance (100% vs 36.3%), had a shorter length of stay (0.37 vs 2.3 days, P < .001), and was exclusively discharged home (100% vs 92.6%). There was no statistically significant difference in 30-day readmission rates between either cohort (SDD 0.6% vs inpatient 1.6%; P = .325). However, the SDD cohort had a significantly lower rate of 90-day readmissions than the inpatient cohort (0.6% vs 3.6%; P = .014). CONCLUSION: The use of an institutional SDD THA care pathway can produce results with equivalent or better short-term outcomes than that of traditional inpatient THA.

Preoperative Chronic Opioid Users in Total Knee Arthroplasty-Which Patients Persistently Abuse Opiates Following Surgery?

BACKGROUND: Chronic opioid users pose a unique challenge for orthopedic surgeons, as they often report suboptimal outcomes following total knee arthroplasty (TKA). We aim at identifying risk factors associated with patients who were preoperative chronic opioid users and continued to use 6 months following TKA. METHODS: All preoperative chronic opioid users among 338 consecutive TKA cases performed at our institution between February and June 2016 were identified and divided into 2 cohorts: patients who (1) persistently used opioids and (2) discontinued use by the 6-month time point following surgery. Baseline characteristics were compared between cohorts in order to determine risk factors for persistent opioid use following TKA. RESULTS: Of the 338 patients, 53 (15.7%) were identified as preoperative chronic opioid users. Of these, 23 (43.4%) continued chronic opioid use 6 months following surgery, whereas 14 (4.9%) previously nonchronic users were identified as new chronic users at 6 months. Characteristics that were predictive of persistent opioid use included male gender, prior injury or surgery to the ipsilateral knee, current tobacco smoking status, and a history of psychiatric disorder. Opioid dose consumption of ≥12 mg/d morphine-equivalents over the 3 months leading up to surgery had an increased risk of persistent chronic opioid use by a factor of 6. CONCLUSION: TKA candidates who have complicated medical, social, and surgical histories are at an increased risk of chronic opioid abuse postoperatively. By better understanding the risk factors associated with persistent chronic opioid use, targeted opioid reduction programs may be appropriately implemented to manage this high-risk population.

Prevalence of Neurocognitive Dysfunction and Its Effects on Postoperative Outcomes in Total Joint Arthroplasty.

BACKGROUND: The prevalence of neurocognitive dysfunction (NCD) and its effects on postoperative outcomes have not been well characterized following total joint arthroplasty (TJA) population. This study aims at better understand this relationship. METHODS: Patients were evaluated for neurocognitive function using the grooved pegboard test for the dominant (PEG-D) and nondominant hand (PEG-N), and the Rey Auditory Verbal Learning Test (RAVLT). The patient scores for each test was compared to age-controlled normative values in order to identify NCD. Baseline characteristics and postoperative outcomes were then compared amongst the two cohorts. RESULTS: Ninety-nine consecutive patients were prospectively enrolled. Nearly 54% were identified as neurocognitively deficient on at least 1 of the 3 tests (31% by RAVLT, 21% by PEG-D, and 30% by PEG-N). There was a statistically significant prevalence of NCD in patients older than 60 years when compared to normative controls for RAVLT (P < .001). Patients with depression or an American Society of Anesthesiologist score of 3 were 5 times as likely to have NCD, while patients with a body mass index between 20-30 kg/m2 were 5 times less likely to have NCD. Furthermore, patients identified as NCD preoperatively were significantly more likely to be transferred to the intensive care unit (48% vs 14%) and fail physical therapy (64% vs 17%), respectively. CONCLUSION: NCD is highly prevalent within total joint arthroplasty candidates and may be correlated with higher body mass index, American Society of Anesthesiologist scores, and rates of depression. The condition predisposes patients to suboptimal postoperative outcomes including increased intensive care unit admissions and prolonged rehabilitation.

Rapid Discharge in Total Hip Arthroplasty: Utility of the Outpatient Arthroplasty Risk Assessment Tool in Predicting Same-Day and Next-Day Discharge.

BACKGROUND: Hospital length of stay is a major driver of cost in the total hip arthroplasty (THA) episode of care, and as a result, significant efforts are being made to minimize it. This study aims to assess the utility of the Outpatient Arthroplasty Risk Assessment (OARA) screening tool in accurately identifying patients for safe and early discharge after THA. METHODS: A retrospective review was conducted on 332 consecutive patients who underwent primary THA at a single tertiary academic center. Patients were evaluated using the OARA score, a tool that has been proposed to identify patients who can safely undergo early discharge after THA. The validity of these claims was assessed by analyzing the OARA score's positive and negative predictive values for high vs low OARA scores between patients enrolled in our (1) same-day discharge (SDD) and 2) next-day discharge (NDD) pathways. RESULTS: When comparing the utility of the OARA score in accurately predicting length of stay, the OARA score demonstrated a (1) higher, but constant, positive predictive value for discharge on postoperative day (POD) 0 for SDD (86.1%) than POD1 for NDD (35.5%) and (2) lower negative predictive value for discharge on POD0 (23.1%) for SDD than POD1 for NDD (86.1%). CONCLUSION: The OARA score was developed to risk-stratify patients who can safely undergo SDD or NDD after THA. In this study, the OARA score was a highly predictive tool in identifying NDD patients at risk for failure of discharge by POD1.

A Meta-Analysis and Systematic Review Evaluating Skin Closure After Total Knee Arthroplasty-What Is the Best Method?

BACKGROUND: Many cost drivers of total knee arthroplasty (TKA) have been critically evaluated to meet the heightened quality-associated expectations of performance-based care. However, assessing the efficacy of the different modalities of skin closure has been an underappreciated topic. The present study aims to provide further insight by conducting a meta-analysis and systematic review evaluating the rates of common complications and perioperative quality outcomes associated with different suture and staple skin closure techniques after TKA. METHODS: The present study was conducted in accordance with both the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-analyses Statement and the Cochrane Handbook for meta-analyses and systematic reviews. Primary outcome measures evaluated rates of common complications associated with primary TKA. Secondary outcome measures evaluated wound closure time, direct surgical costs, and cosmetic and knee function outcomes. RESULTS: Our meta-analysis demonstrated that skin sutures had a higher likelihood of superficial and deep infections, abscess formation, and wound dehiscence. Conversely, staples had a higher tendency for prolonged wound discharge. A systematic review of wound closure times and overall resource utilization demonstrated that wound closure was faster and more cost-effective with skin staples than sutures. CONCLUSION: Primary skin incision closure with staples demonstrated lower wound complications, decreased wound closure times, and an overall reduction in resource utilization. Given these outcomes, the use of staples after TKA may have several subtle clinical advantages over sutures.

Prevalence of ulnar nerve palsy with flexion-type supracondylar fractures of the humerus.

The aim of this study is to report the rate and type of neurologic injury associated with flexion supracondylar fractures at a tertiary, university institution treated over a 10-year period. All supracondylar humerus fracture cases treated at our institution between January 2004 and January 2014 were retrospectively reviewed. Twenty-three flexion-type fractures were identified. Patient demographics as well as fracture classification, treatment modalities, and pre-and post-treatment neurologic status were analyzed. Twenty-three flexion-type supracondylar humerus fractures were identified and reviewed out of a total of 1000 supracondylar humerus fractures (2.3%). Details of the patients' neurologic status upon presentation demonstrated that 17 (74%) patients were intact and six (26%) patients presented with an ulnar neuropraxia. Zero type I fractures, one type II fractures (14.3%), and five type III fractures (33.3%) demonstrated an ulnar nerve palsy. Of these, all six nerve deficits resolved following treatment. One additional patient was identified with median nerve neuropraxia following treatment with closed reduction casting, which resolved following observation. A total of 4 (17.4%) patients were treated with closed reduction casting, 15 (65.2%) with closed reduction percutaneous pinning, and four (17.4%) with open reduction internal fixation. Flexion-type supracondylar fractures of the humerus are rare yet significant injuries. The 26% of patients who developed an ulnar neuropraxia following a displaced flexion supracondylar fracture were higher than previous studies reported in the literature. This increased prevalence may be due to the high rates of type III fractures reported in the current study. Level of evidence: III, Retrospective comparative cohort analysis.

Total Knee Arthroplasty Is Safe in Jehovah's Witness Patients-A 12-Year Perspective.

Despite the evolution of blood management protocols, total knee arthroplasty (TKA) occasionally requires allogeneic blood transfusion. This poses a particular challenge for Jehovah's Witnesses (JW) who believe that the Bible strictly prohibits the use of blood products. The aim of this study was to compare JW and a matched-control cohort of non-JW candidates undergoing TKA to assess the safety using modern blood management protocols. Fifty-five JW patients (63 knees) who underwent TKA at our institution between 2005 and 2017 were matched to 63 non-JW patients (63 knees). Patient demographics, intraoperative details, and postoperative complications including in-hospital complications, revisions, and 90-day readmissions were collected and compared between the groups. Additionally, subgroup analysis was performed comparing JW patients who were administered tranexamic acid (TXA) between the two groups. Baseline demographics did not vary significantly between the study cohorts. The mean follow-up was 3.1 years in both the JW and non-JW cohorts. Postoperative complications, including in-hospital complications (7.9 vs. 4.8%; p = 0.47), revision TKA (1.6 vs. 1.6%; p = 1.00), and 90-day readmission (1.6 vs. 4.8%; p = 0.31) were not significantly different between the JW and non-JW groups. Subgroup analysis demonstrated JW patients who received TXA had a significantly lower decline in postoperative hemoglobin (Hgb) (8.6 vs. 14.0%; p < 0.01). At a follow-up of up to 12 years, JW patients who underwent TKA have outcomes equivalent to non-JW patients without the need for transfusion. Our findings support that surgeons are more likely to optimize JW patients preoperatively with iron and folate supplementation. Despite these variations in preoperative optimization efforts, no significant difference with regard to Hgb or hematocrit levels was demonstrated. Level of evidence is III, retrospective observational study.

Respiratory Synchronized Versus Intermittent Pneumatic Compression in Prevention of Venous Thromboembolism After Total Joint Arthroplasty: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.

The objective of this study was to evaluate the efficacy of respiratory synchronized compression devices (RSCDs) versus nonsynchronized intermittent pneumatic compression devices (NSIPCDs) in preventing venous thromboembolism (VTE) after total joint arthroplasty. A systematic literature review was conducted. Data regarding surgical procedure, deep vein thrombosis, pulmonary embolism, mortality, and adverse events were abstracted. Compared with control groups, the risk ratio of deep vein thrombosis development was 0.51 with NSIPCDs and 0.47 with RSCDs. This review demonstrates that RSCDs may be marginally more effective at preventing VTE events than NSIPCDs. Furthermore, the addition of mechanical prophylaxis to any chemoprophylactic regimen increases VTE prevention.

Primary Total Hip Arthroplasty With Same-Day Discharge: Who Failed and Why.

As the emphasis on value-based care within total joint arthroplasty increases, this procedure is becoming more prevalent in the outpatient setting. The goals of this study were to report on the authors' early experiences with same-day discharge and to identify patient characteristics that are associated with failure to discharge after total hip arthroplasty within this program. All patients who were enrolled in the same-day discharge total hip arthroplasty program at the study institution between January 2015 and July 2016 were included. Demographics, baseline characteristics, and clinical and quality outcomes were compared between patients who successfully completed this program and those who did not. Of the 163 study subjects, 143 (87.7%) were discharged successfully on the same day as surgery. Women, patients younger than 40 years, and patients older than 60 years all had an increased risk of failing the program. Body mass index of 26 kg/m2 or less was associated with a 40% greater risk of failure. Patients with an American Society of Anesthesiologists score of 3 had a 3-fold risk of failure compared with patients with an American Society of Anesthesiologists score of 2 or less. The screening protocol for same-day discharge at the study institution had an 87.7% rate of successful same-day discharge. Further investigation is needed to identify patients who are at risk of failing the same-day discharge initiative. [Orthopedics. 2018; 41(1):35-42.].