Men Receive Three Times More Industry Payments than Women Academic Orthopaedic Surgeons, Even After Controlling for Confounding Variables.

BACKGROUND: In 2016, orthopaedic surgeons received nearly USD 300 million from industry, with the top 10% of recipients making more than 95% of the total amount. The degree to which gender may be associated with industry compensation has not been well explored; however, this may be confounded by a number of variables, including academic productivity, experience, and other factors. We wished to explore the variability in payment distribution by gender after controlling for these factors. QUESTIONS/PURPOSES: (1) Do men or women academic orthopaedic surgeons receive more payments from industry? (2) To what degree do any observed differences between the genders persist, even after accounting for identifiable factors, including academic rank, scholarly productivity, regional location of university, subspecialty selection as identified by fellowships completed, and years since completion of residency? METHODS: This study was a cross-sectional retrospective analysis of surgeons practicing in orthopaedic surgery academic departments in the United States. Academic orthopaedic surgery departments were identified using the Fellowship and Residency Electronic Interactive Database. Publicly available data on gender, academic rank, scholarly productivity, regional location of university, fellowships completed, and years since residency graduation were collected from institutional websites. Industry funding data for 2016 were obtained from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services Open Payments Database, and scholarly productivity data through 2017 were collected from Scopus. A total of 2939 academic orthopaedic surgeons, 2620 (89%) men and 319 (11%) women from 126 programs were identified. Men and women surgeons were different in most of the variables collected, and all except region of university were associated with differences in industry payments. RESULTS: The median payment for men surgeons was greater than that for women (USD 1027 [interquartile range USD 125-USD 9616] versus USD 177 [IQR USD 47-USD 1486]; difference of medians, USD 850; p < 0.001]. After accounting for potentially confounding variables like faculty rank, years since residency, H-index and subspecialty choice, women faculty members still received only 29% of payments received by otherwise comparable men orthopaedists (beta coefficient for gender = 0.29 [95% CI 0.20 to 0.44; p < 0.001]). CONCLUSIONS: Women academic orthopaedic surgeons received only 29% of the industry payments received by men, even after controlling for faculty rank, years since residency, H-index, and subspecialty selection. This gender-related disparity may hinder the career advancement of women orthopaedic surgeons. CLINICAL RELEVANCE: Increased transparency by companies can help guide orthopaedic surgeons who wish to receive industry funding.

Effect of Kidney Disease on Hemiarthroplasty Outcomes After Femoral Neck Fractures.

OBJECTIVE: To compare the outcomes of patients with predialysis chronic kidney disease (CKD) or end-stage renal disease (ESRD) with the outcomes of patients with no kidney disease after hemiarthroplasty (HA) for femoral neck fractures (FNF). DESIGN: Retrospective review utilizing the Nationwide Readmissions Database. SETTING: National database incorporating inpatient data from 22 states. PATIENTS: Using the Nationwide Readmissions Database, 214,399 patients who underwent HA after FNF between 2010 and 2014 were identified and divided into 3 groups using ICD-9 diagnosis codes: no kidney disease (n = 176,300, 82%), predialysis CKD (n = 34,400, 16%), and ESRD (n = 3,698, 2%). INTERVENTION: HA for FNF. MAIN OUTCOME MEASUREMENT: Mortality, blood transfusion, and postoperative complications during index hospitalization. Hospital readmission, postoperative dislocation, periprosthetic fracture, and revision surgery within 90 days of surgery. RESULTS: Compared to patients with no kidney disease, ESRD patients had an increased risk of mortality [odds ratio (OR) = 3.76, 95% confidence interval (CI), 2.95-4.78], blood transfusion (OR = 2.35, 95% CI, 2.08-2.64), and postoperative complications (OR = 1.64, 95% CI, 1.45-1.86) during the index hospitalization as well as an increased risk of 90-day hospital readmission (OR = 3.09, 95% CI, 2.72-3.50). Interestingly, even patients with predialysis CKD had an increased risk of mortality (OR = 1.80, 95% CI, 1.59-2.05), blood transfusion (OR = 1.66, 95% CI, 1.59-1.75), and postoperative complications (OR = 2.37, 95% CI, 2.25-2.50) during the index hospitalization as well as an increased risk of 90-day hospital readmission (OR = 1.43, 95% CI, 1.37-1.51). CONCLUSIONS: This retrospective cohort study demonstrates that both ESRD and CKD patients have worse outcomes compared to patients with no kidney disease after HA for FNF. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: Prognostic Level III. See instructions for authors for a complete description of levels of evidence.

Outcomes in 385 developmental dysplastic hips requiring total hip arthroplasty.

BACKGROUND: Patients with developmental dysplasia of the hip (DDH) require special surgical considerations for total hip arthroplasty (THA). Despite the difficulties posed by the population's anatomical abnormalities, few large evaluations of postoperative outcomes exist. This study seeks to characterize outcomes following primary THA among patients diagnosed with DDH. METHODS: A retrospective review was conducted at a tertiary care center on all THA patients between June 2011 and March 2018. Inclusion criteria for this study included any patient diagnosed with DDH undergoing primary THA. Baseline information, operative reports, and postoperative outcomes were pulled from the medical record. RESULTS: In total, 336 patients (385 hips) undergoing a THA between June 2011 and March 2018 were included. The average age was 52.6 ± 13.0 years and body mass index was 27.8 ± 6.0 kg/m2. Most patients were female (82%). The majority of hips (89%, n = 344) were Crowe type 1, followed by 2 (6.9%, n = 26), 3 (2.6%, n = 10), and 4 (1.3%, n = 5). Most hips were Hartofilakidis Class A (83%, n = 320), followed by Class B (15%, n = 59), then C (1.6%, n = 6). Mean follow-up was 24.8 months. Revision THA was required in 19 (4.9%) cases, with the most common indications being infection (2.1%) and periprosthetic fracture (1.0%). Readmission rates were 1.8% (7 hips) and 2.9% (11 hips) at 30-day and 90-day, respectively. The 30-day and 90-day ED visit rates were 1.3% (5 hips) and 2.1% (8 hips), respectively. No complications were seen following 344 (87%) THAs. CONCLUSION: Despite their surgical complexity, DDH patients on average have notably low rates of revision and dislocation. Longer follow-up is needed to better assess outcomes after THA in this complex patient population.