Perioperative Sleep Quality Disturbances in Total Joint Arthroplasty is Multifactorial.

BACKGROUND: Sleep quality following arthroplasty procedures is important for patient recovery and satisfaction, but remains poorly understood. The purpose of this study was to report risk factors for sleep disturbances in the perioperative period in patients undergoing primary total joint arthroplasty procedures. METHODS: Sleep surveys were prospectively collected on 751 consecutive patients undergoing total joint arthroplasty at our institution between June 2019 and February 2021 at their preoperative and postoperative visits (2 and 6 weeks). Data were collected on patient demographics, opioid use (preoperatively and postoperatively) as well as tobacco and alcohol use, and specific medical diagnosis that may influence sleep patterns (ie, depression). Statistical analyses were performed using the Student's t-tests and 1-way analysis of variances. RESULTS: For both total hip and total knee patients, worse sleep patterns preoperatively were found in patients who used opioids prior to surgery (P < .001), were current smokers (P < .001), and were aged less than 65 years (P < .001). Postoperative persistent opioid use (more than 3 months) was seen in patients who had worse reported sleep quality preoperatively (P < .001). In comparison to total hip arthroplasty, patients who underwent total knee arthroplasty were more likely to report less sleep in the postoperative period. Patients who were current smokers (compared to nonsmokers or previous smokers) (P = .014) had worse sleep quality at all time points that persisted at 6 weeks, although these differences were seen more in total hip patients than in total knee patients (P = .006 versus P = .059). CONCLUSIONS: Sleep quality disturbances around the time of surgery appear to be multifactorial. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: Therapeutic Level III.

High Incidence of Recurrent Patellofemoral Crepitus in Total Knee Arthroplasty Patients Following Arthroscopic Debridement.

Background: Patellofemoral crepitus is an unfavorable complication following total knee arthroplasty (TKA) with a posterior-stabilized (PS) implant. The purpose of this study was to study patellar crepitus recurrence and reoperation rates following arthroscopic debridement in patients with a PS-TKA. Methods: Our institution database was used to identify patients with a PS-TKA who underwent arthroscopic debridement for patellofemoral crepitus at our institution. Patients must have had a resurfaced patella and minimum 2 years clinical follow-up from the arthroscopic debridement to be included in the study. Recurrence of patellar crepitus, subsequent operations, and any adverse events were documented. Results: We identified 35 patients who met inclusion criteria with an average follow-up of 8.0 years (range 2.1 to 18.4 years) from their arthroscopic debridement. Nineteen patients (54.3%) had history of a nonarthroplasty knee surgery prior to their TKA. The mean time interval between TKA and arthroscopic debridement for patellar crepitus was 1.6 years (range 0.2 to 5.0 years). Overall, 16 patients (45.7%) developed recurrent crepitus (8 asymptomatic and 8 symptomatic). Six of the symptomatic patients (17.1% of the entire cohort) underwent a repeat surgery for recurrent patellofemoral crepitus. Of theses 6 patients, 3 developed recurrent crepitus but only 1 patient had a third surgical procedure. No postoperative complications were noted following any surgical procedure. The mean knee range of motion following arthroscopic debridement did not change (126.9° preoperatively vs 127.0° postoperatively). Conclusions: Patients experienced high rates of recurrent patellofemoral crepitus following arthroscopic debridement. One-sixth of the patient cohort required a second surgical intervention for recurrent crepitus.

Poor Correlation Among Metal Hypersensitivity Testing Modalities and Inferior Patient-Reported Outcomes After Primary and Revision Total Knee Arthroplasties.

Background: Metal allergy testing may influence clinical decision-making for patients undergoing a total knee arthroplasty (TKA). Limited data were found to examine the consistency of available testing modalities. This study compares different metal allergy test results and clinical outcomes after primary and revision TKAs in patients with and without metal hypersensitivity. Methods: Primary (n = 28) and revision (n = 20) TKA patients receiving hypoallergenic implants for metal allergies diagnosed by skin patch testing (SPT), lymphocyte proliferation testing (LPT), or lymphocyte transformation testing (LTT) were retrospectively reviewed. The agreement between tests was assessed by percentage and kappa statistic within patients who used multiple testing modalities. Postoperative clinical outcomes of these patients were compared to those of patients without metal hypersensitivity matched by age (±5 years), body mass index (±5), gender, and follow-up duration (±2 years). Results: SPT and LPT showed weak agreement for nickel and minimal agreement for cobalt. SPT and LTT showed minimal agreement for nickel; weak agreement for titanium, bone cement, vanadium, and zirconium; but strong agreement for chromium and cobalt. LPT and LTT agreement was weak. Compared to matched controls, metal hypersensitivity patients undergoing primary TKAs with hypoallergenic implants experienced less improvement in Knee Society Scores, Veterans RAND 12 physical component scores, and range of motion. Patients undergoing revision TKAs for multiple indications including metal hypersensitivity had worse clinical outcomes with significantly worse improvements in Knee Society functional scores compared to matched controls. Conclusions: Metal allergy tests produce conflicting results. Hypersensitivity patients may experience inferior clinical outcomes even with hypoallergenic implants. Clinician awareness may influence the choice of testing and improve preoperative counseling of this patient population.

Evaluation of Low-Dose Versus High-Dose Opioid Pathway in Opioid-Naïve Patients After Total Knee Arthroplasty.

BACKGROUND: Pain control after total knee arthroplasty (TKA) remains challenging. Tramadol is a weak opioid with potentially lower side effects and risk for dependency than stronger opioids. The purpose of this study was to evaluate efficacy and safety of tramadol after TKA in opioid-naïve patients compared with stronger opioids. METHODS: A retrospective review of patients who underwent primary TKA was performed. In September 2018, opioid-naïve patients were prescribed tramadol instead of oxycodone. Patients receiving tramadol (low-opioid group) were matched to patients discharged with oxycodone before this transition (high-opioid group). We compared morphine milligram equivalent (MME) consumption and outcomes up to 3 months postoperatively. RESULTS: Two-hundred and five patients underwent TKA, with 126 receiving tramadol. Fourteen patients were converted to stronger opioid (11.2% conversion rate). Seventy patients from the low-opioid group were matched to 70 patients in the high-opioid group. Average daily inpatient MME consumption was higher in the high-opioid group (40.0 ± 27.4 vs 16.3 ± 10.9, P = .000). Outpatient prescribed MME was significantly higher in the high-opioid group (135.5 ± 71.5 vs 75.3 ± 51.3, P = .000) along with a higher number of refills (0.53 ± 1.1 vs 0.886 ± 0.94, P = .041). Knee range of motion was not statistically different at any timepoint postoperatively. There was higher adverse event rate in the low-opioid group (8.6% vs 5.7%) but not statically significant. CONCLUSIONS: Low opioid regimen following TKA showed lower MME consumption than high opioid regimen with no effect on outcomes up to 3 months. Use of low opioid regimen should be considered for TKA surgery.

Pelvic incidence significance relative to spinopelvic risk factors for total hip arthroplasty instability.

AIMS: Pelvic incidence (PI) is a position-independent spinopelvic parameter traditionally used by spinal surgeons to determine spinal alignment. Its relevance to the arthroplasty surgeon in assessing patient risk for total hip arthroplasty (THA) instability preoperatively is unclear. This study was undertaken to investigate the significance of PI relative to other spinopelvic parameter risk factors for instability to help guide its clinical application. METHODS: Retrospective analysis was performed of a multicentre THA database of 9,414 patients with preoperative imaging (dynamic spinopelvic radiographs and pelvic CT scans). Several spinopelvic parameter measurements were made by engineers using advanced software including sacral slope (SS), standing anterior pelvic plane tilt (APPT), spinopelvic tilt (SPT), lumbar lordosis (LL), and PI. Lumbar flexion (LF) was determined by change in LL between standing and flexed-seated lateral radiographs. Abnormal pelvic mobility was defined as ∆SPT ≥ 20° between standing and flexed-forward positions. Sagittal spinal deformity (SSD) was defined as PI-LL mismatch > 10°. RESULTS: PI showed a positive correlation with parameters of SS, SPT, and LL (r-value range 0.468 to 0.661). Patients with a higher PI value showed higher degrees of standing LL, likely as a compensatory measure to maintain sagittal spine balance. There was a positive correlation between LL and LF such that patients with less standing LL had decreased LF (r = 0.49). Similarly, there was a positive correlation between increased SSD and decreased LF (r = 0.54). PI in isolation did not show any significant correlation with lumbar (r = 0.04) or pelvic mobility (r = 0.02). The majority of patients (range 89.4% to 94.2%) had normal lumbar and pelvic mobility regardless of the PI value. CONCLUSION: The PI value alone is not indicative of either spinal or pelvic mobility, and thus in isolation may not be a risk factor for THA instability. Patients with SSD had higher rates of spinopelvic stiffness, which may be the mechanism by which PI relates to THA instability risk, but further clinical studies are required. Cite this article: Bone Joint J 2022;104-B(3):352-358.

A Prophylactic Tibial Stem Reduces Rates of Early Aseptic Loosening in Patients with Severe Preoperative Varus Deformity in Primary Total Knee Arthroplasty.

BACKGROUND: Patients with a preoperative varus deformity >8 degrees are at increased risk of aseptic loosening after total knee arthroplasty. This study analyzes the effect of a tibial stem on the rate of aseptic loosening in patients with a severe preoperative varus deformity. METHODS: Patients with a preoperative varus deformity of >8 degrees and 2-year minimum follow-up with a stemmed tibial component (n = 67) were matched 1:2 to patients with a similar preoperative varus deformity with a standard tibial component (n = 134). Radiolucent lines were measured on the tibia at 6 weeks, 1 year, and 2 years postoperatively using the Knee Society Radiographic Evaluation System. Failure was defined as revision due to aseptic loosening of the tibial component. Outcomes were evaluated using Student's t-tests and log-rank tests. RESULTS: Patients with tibial stems had greater preoperative deformity (12.9 vs 11.3 degrees, P = .004). There was no difference in postoperative alignment (1.7 vs 2.1 degrees varus, P = .25) or tibial component angle (1.8 vs 2.1 degrees varus, P = .33). Patients with stems were more likely to have more constraint (44.8% vs 1.5%, P < .001). Progression of radiolucent lines >2 mm was observed in 17.6% (23/134) vs 5.97% (4/67) of patients in the stem group (P = .03). Rates of aseptic loosening were lower in the stem group (0% vs 5.15%, P = .05). CONCLUSION: Despite worse preoperative deformity and higher utilization of constraint, tibial stem use in patients with severe preoperative varus deformity resulted in lower rates of aseptic loosening. Prophylactic use of stems in these patients may help increase implant survival.

Alpha-Defensin Is Not Superior to Traditional Diagnostic Methods for Detection of Periprosthetic Joint Infection in Total Hip Arthroplasty and Total Knee Arthroplasty Patients.

BACKGROUND: Synovial fluid alpha-defensin (AD) may improve diagnostic accuracy of periprosthetic joint infection (PJI) following total knee (TKA) and hip (THA) arthroplasty but is only available as send-out test. This study evaluated laboratory result accuracy between send-out test vs hospital labs and if AD made a difference in treatment plan. METHODS: A retrospective review was performed of 152 consecutive patients with a TKA or THA joint aspiration for painful or clinically concerning joint. Synovial fluid was sent to our institution (hospital-based labs, HBL) and send-out immunoassay laboratory (Synovasure). Patients were scored with specific criteria from validated scoring system for PJI using HBL and Synovasure results. The score with and without AD test was compared to determine if AD impacted patient management. RESULTS: Overall, there was strong agreement between institutions for PJI diagnosis (Cohen's kappa score 0.96). Twenty-nine patients had PJI diagnosis (score ≥6), of which 28 (97%) had positive AD with 1 false-negative result. Sixty-three patients had inconclusive score (between 2 and 5) and 60 patients had negative PJI diagnosis (score ≤1). Of these patients, 5 underwent surgery for infection. Two patients had surgery for positive AD, 2 for positive culture, and 1 because of elevated HBL results. The AD test changed the PJI diagnosis and influenced decision for surgery in only 1.3% (2/152) of patients. CONCLUSION: Minimal differences were found in laboratory values between institutions. The addition of AD may be useful in cases of equivocal laboratory results but does not appear to be necessary for routine diagnosis of PJI after TKA/THA. LEVEL EVIDENCE: Level III.

Alpha-Defensin Offers Limited Utility in Routine Workup of Periprosthetic Joint Infection.

BACKGROUND: Alpha-defensin (AD) is a synovial biomarker included as a minor criterion in the scoring system for diagnosing periprosthetic joint infection (PJI). The purpose of this study is to study the impact of AD on diagnosis and management of PJI. METHODS: Synovial fluid from 522 patients after total knee and hip arthroplasty was retrospective reviewed. Synovial white blood cell count, percentage of neutrophils, and culture from the AD immunoassay laboratory were reviewed with serum erythrocyte sedimentation rate and C-reactive protein values from our institution. A modified version of the 2018 scoring system for diagnosis of PJI was used, only scoring white blood cell count, percentage of neutrophils, erythrocyte sedimentation rate, and C-reactive protein. AD was then analyzed with these scores to determine if AD changed diagnostic findings or clinical management. RESULTS: Eight-two patients were categorized as "infected" (score ≥6), of which 76 patients had positive AD. Of the 6 "infected" patients with negative AD, 2 had positive cultures (Staphylococcus epidermidis). Two-hundred thirteen patients were diagnosed as "possibly infected" (score 2-5). Fourteen of these patients had positive AD, of which 5 had positive cultures assisting with the diagnosis. The AD test changed the diagnosis from "possibly infected" to "infected" in 8 patients (1.5%) but only altered treatment plan in 6 patients (1.1%). A score <2 (not infected) was calculated in 227 patients with no patients having positive AD. CONCLUSION: AD may be beneficial in some cases where laboratory values are otherwise equivocal; however, its routine use for the diagnosis of PJI may not be warranted.

Can an OA Knee Brace Effectively Offload the Medial Condyle? An In Vivo Fluoroscopic Study.

BACKGROUND: Previous studies evaluating the effectiveness of OA offloading knee braces focused on qualitative results. The objective of this study was to analyze the effectiveness of an off-loading knee brace with respect to in vivo three-dimensional knee kinematics to quantitatively measure the changes in medial joint space and relative bone alignment when wearing the brace. METHODS: Twenty subjects diagnosed with medial compartmental joint space narrowing and varus deformity due to OA were recruited. During fluoroscopic surveillance, subjects performed normal gait on a treadmill with and without the brace. Images were sequenced at heel-strike and mid-stance during the weight-bearing portion of gait. 3D-to-2D image registration was performed on each subject using 3D bone models derived from CT segmentation and 3D ultrasound scans. RESULTS: Medial joint space was to increase when the brace was applied in all subjects (1.6 ± 0.7 mm at heel-strike, 1.6 ± 0.8 mm at mid-stance) and was statistically significant (P < .001). It was also found that sixteen of the twenty subjects experienced a medial joint space increase of more than 1.0 mm during heel-strike while thirteen of twenty experienced this change at mid-stance. While wearing the brace, over half of the subjects experienced a valgus correction to their alignment. CONCLUSIONS: All subjects in this study experienced a positive change in the medial joint space when wearing the offloading knee brace. In addition, many subjects also saw joint space values representative of previously documented, nonosteoarthritic subjects and valgus changes in bone alignment more akin to the normal knee.

Reliability of Spinopelvic Measurements That May Influence the Cup Position in Total Hip Arthroplasty.

BACKGROUND: Spinopelvic pathology has been identified as a potential risk factor for instability after total hip arthroplasty. Spinopelvic radiographic parameters used to diagnose spinopelvic disease may also impact optimal cup placement. The purpose of this study was to assess the arthroplasty surgeon accuracy in making spinopelvic measurements. METHODS: Five fellowship-trained or in-training arthroplasty surgeons reviewed 44 lateral lumbar radiographs in two sessions. All evaluators were instructed how to perform measurements but had little experience in doing so. Traditional measurements included the pelvic tilt (PT), pelvic incidence (PI), and sacral slope (SS), and novel measurements included the acetabular ante-inclination (AI) and pelvic femoral angle. Surgeon measurements were compared with those made by experienced engineers. intraclass coefficients (ICCs) were calculated and interpreted. RESULTS: The interobserver reliability for 4 of 5 of the spinopelvic parameters was good to excellent (ICC >0.75) with the highest reliability seen for PI measurement (ICC = 0.939). Only moderate interobserver reliability was observed for AI measurement (ICC = 0.559). Intraobserver reliability was the highest for the PI and SS, ranging from moderate to good (ICC, 0.718 to 0.896). The lowest intraobserver reliability was seen for the AI (ICC range, 0.026 to 0.545) and pelvic femoral angle (ICC range, 0.035 to 0.828). Surgeon measurements of PT and SS were compared with engineer measurements with extremely poor correlation observed (ICC <0 for all). CONCLUSION: Surgeon intraobserver and interobserver reliability in making novel radiographic measurements was low compared with traditional radiographic measurements. Surgeon reliability in making traditional measurements of the PT and SS was very poor compared with experienced assessors using software-based measurements.

Cutibacterium colonization of the anterior and lateral thigh.

AIMS: Of growing concern in arthroplasty is the emergence of atypical infections, particularly Cutibacterium (formerly Propionibacterium) sp. infections. Currently, the dermal colonization rate of Cutibacterium about the hip is unknown. Therefore, the aim of this study was to investigate colonization rates of Cutibacterium sp. at locations approximating anterior and posterolateral approaches to the hip joint. METHODS: For this non-randomized non-blinded study, 101 adult patients scheduled for hip or knee surgery were recruited. For each, four 3 mm dermal punch biopsies were collected after administration of anaesthesia, but prior to antibiotics. Prebiopsy skin preparation consisted of a standardized preoperative 2% chlorhexidine skin cleansing protocol and an additional 70% isopropyl alcohol mechanical skin scrub immediately prior to biopsy collection. Two skin samples 10 cm apart were collected from a location approximating a standard direct anterior skin incision, and two samples 10 cm apart were collected from a lateral skin incision (suitable for posterior, direct-lateral, or anterolateral approaches). Samples were cultured for two weeks using a protocol optimized for Cutibacterium. RESULTS: A total of 23 out of 404 cultures (collected from 101 patients) were positive for a microorganism, with a total of 22 patients having a positive culture (22%). Overall, 15 of the cultures in 14 patients were positive for Cutibacterium sp. (65%), of which Cutibacterium acnes comprised the majority (n = 13; 87%). Other isolated microorganisms include coagulase-negative Staphylococcus (n = 6), Clostridium (n = 1), and Corynebacterium (n = 1). Of all positive cultures, 15 were obtained from the anterior location (65%), of which seven (60%) were from the most proximal biopsy location. However, these findings were not statistically significant (anterior vs lateral, p = 0.076; proximal vs distal, p =0.238). CONCLUSION: Approximately 14% (14/101) of the patients demonstrated a positive Cutibacterium colonization about the hip, the majority anteriorly. Given the high colonization rate of Cutibacterium, alternative skin preparations for total hip arthroplasty should be considered. Cite this article: Bone Joint J 2020;102-B(7 Supple B):52-56.

Medicinal Cannabis in Orthopaedic Practice.

Cannabis has gained widespread public advocacy since its legalization in several states with recent evidence suggesting that its self-reported use has increased in patients undergoing a primary total joint arthroplasty. The endocannabinoid system has been proposed to play a role in decreasing the inflammatory cascade and enhancing pain management. For these reasons, interest has emerged in the orthopaedic community as a potential treatment or adjunct to treatment in many musculoskeletal conditions. However, the evidence to date is scant and precludes recommendations for its widespread use. Given the current paucity of evidence in the orthopaedic cohort, future research is warranted in this area to determine the efficacy and safety before endorsements can be made by orthopaedic surgeons.

Medial Unicompartmental Arthroplasty of the Knee.

Indications for medial unicompartmental knee arthroplasty (UKA) have expanded over the past two decades. Proposed advantages include faster recovery, improved kinematics, and better functional outcomes compared with total knee arthroplasty (TKA) in age-matched control subjects. A focused preoperative examination and imaging is essential to identify appropriate surgical candidates. No difference has been demonstrated between fixed- and mobile-bearing implants for implant survivorship or patient-reported outcomes. The most common reasons for conversion to a TKA are aseptic loosening and progression of osteoarthritis. Ten-year survival for UKA in cohort studies has shown to be >90% with outcomes after conversion to TKA being similar to outcomes for revision TKA. Registries have consistently shown lower implant survival for UKA compared with that for TKA, which is likely secondary to use of several different implants by surgeons of varying levels of experience. UKA has the potential to be a cost-effective alternative to TKA in certain patient populations when performed at high-volume centers with advanced surgical techniques.

Recurrent Dislocation After Total Hip Arthroplasty: Controversies and Solutions.

Instability remains one of the most common complications after total hip arthroplasty and a notable cause of patient morbidity as well as patient and surgeon dissatisfaction. Isolated dislocations can often be managed successfully with closed reduction; however, recurrent instability poses a substantial diagnostic and therapeutic challenge. The causes are varied and may be related to patient, surgical, and implant factors. A thorough evaluation is important in determining the cause of instability and effectively managing this difficult problem. Management options include component revision for malposition, modular exchange, or revision to specialized components, such as larger femoral heads, constrained liners, or dual-mobility articulations.