Ceramic Bearings Are Associated With a Significantly Reduced Revision Rate in Primary Hip Arthroplasty: An Analysis From the National Joint Registry for England, Wales, Northern Ireland, and the Isle of Man.

BACKGROUND: Prosthetic joint infection (PJI) is a devastating complication. Studies have suggested reduction in PJI with the use of ceramic bearings. METHODS: Adult patients who underwent total hip arthroplasty (THA) using an uncemented acetabular component with ceramic-on-ceramic (CoC), ceramic-on-polyethylene (CoP), or metal-on-polyethylene (MoP) bearing surfaces between 2002 and 2016 were extracted from the National Joint Registry for England, Wales, Northern Ireland, and the Isle of Man. A competing risk regression model to investigate predictors of each revision outcome was used. Time-to-event was determined by duration of implantation since primary surgery with competing risks being death or revision. The results were adjusted for age, gender, American Association of Anaesthesiologists grade, body mass index, surgical indication, intraoperative complications, and implant data. RESULTS: In total, 456,457 THAs (228,786 MoP, 128,403 CoC, and 99,268 CoP) were identified. Multivariable modeling showed that the risk of revision for PJI was significantly lower with CoC (risk ratio 0.748, P < .001) and CoP (risk ratio 0.775, P < .001) compared to MoP. Significant reduction in risk of aseptic and all-cause revision was also seen. The significant protective effect of ceramic bearing was predominantly seen 2 years after implantation. Aseptic revision beyond 2 years reduced by 18.1% and 24.8% for CoC and CoP (P < .001), respectively. All-cause revision rate beyond 2 years reduced by 21.6% for CoC and 27.1% for CoP (P < .001) CONCLUSION: This study demonstrates an association between the use of ceramic as part of the bearing, with lower rates of revision for all causes, revision for infection, and revision for aseptic causes, supporting ceramic bearings in THA.

A Comparison of the Surgical Practice of Potential Revision Outlier Joint Replacement Surgeons With Non-outliers: A Case Control Study From the National Joint Registry for England, Wales, Northern Ireland and the Isle of Man.

BACKGROUND: The National Joint Registry for England, Wales, Northern Ireland and the Isle of Man (NJR) has monitored the performance of consultant surgeons performing primary total hip (THR) or knee replacements (KR) since 2007. The aims of this study were: 1) To describe the surgical practice of consultant hip and knee replacement surgeons in the National Joint Registry for England and Wales (NJR), stratified by potential outlier status for revisions. 2) To compare the practice of revision outlier and non-outlier surgeons. METHODS: We combined NJR primary THR and KR data from 2008-2017 separately with relevant anonymised NJR outlier notification records. We described the surgical practice of outliers and non-outliers by surgical workload, implant choice, and patients' clinical and demographic characteristics. We explored associations between surgeon-level factors and outlier status with conditional logistic regression models. RESULTS: We included 764,888 primary THRs by 3213 surgeons and 889,954 primary KRs by 3084 surgeons performed between 2008-2017. One hundred and eleven (3.5%) THR and 114 (3.7%) KR consultant surgeons were potential revision outliers. Surgeons who used more types of implant had increased odds of being an outlier (KR: OR/additional implant = 1.35, 95%CI 1.17-1.55; THR: OR = 1.12, 95%CI 1.06-1.18). CONCLUSIONS: The use of more types of implant is associated with increased risk of being a potential revision outlier. Further research is required to understand why surgeons use many different implants and to what extent this is responsible for the effects observed here.

What are the inpatient and day case costs following primary total hip replacement of patients treated for prosthetic joint infection: a matched cohort study using linked data from the National Joint Registry and Hospital Episode Statistics.

BACKGROUND: Prosthetic joint infection (PJI) following total hip replacement (THR) surgery is a serious complication that negatively impacts patients' lives and is financially burdensome for healthcare providers. As the number of THRs increases, so does this financial burden. This research estimates the economic burden with respect to inpatient and day case hospital admissions for patients receiving revision surgery for PJI following primary THR. METHODS: In this matched cohort study, the National Joint Registry for England, Wales, Northern Ireland and the Isle of Man (NJR) was used to identify patients. Patients revised for PJI with a one- or two-stage revision following THR and patients not revised for PJI were matched on several characteristics using exact and radius matching. Hospital inpatient and day case healthcare records from the English Hospital Episode Statistics database were obtained for 5 years following the identified patient's primary THR. UK national unit costs were applied to hospital admissions and the 5-year total cost was estimated. A two-part model (Probit and generalised linear model) was employed to estimate the incremental difference in costs between those revised and not revised for PJI. RESULTS: Between 2006 and 2009, 1914 revisions for PJI were identified in the NJR. The matching resulted in 422 patients revised for PJI and 1923 matches not revised for PJI who were included in the analysis. The average cost of inpatient and day case admissions in the 5 years following primary THR was approximately £42,000 for patients revised for PJI and £8000 for patients not revised for PJI. The difference in costs over the 5 years was £33,452 (95% CI £30,828 to £36,077; p < 0.00). CONCLUSIONS: In the 5 years following primary THR, patients who develop PJI and have revision surgery cost approximately £33,000 (over 5-fold) more than patients not revised for PJI based on their hospital inpatient and day case admissions alone. The total burden of PJI is likely to be much higher when also considering outpatient, primary and community care costs. This highlights the need to find both ways to reduce the incidence of PJI following THR and cost-effective treatment strategies if PJI occurs.

The first knee prosthesis to go through beyond compliance: A new standard for the safe introduction of orthopaedic implants.

INTRODUCTION: Beyond Compliance (BC) was introduced in 2012 to improve the monitoring and regulation of new medical devices and techniques, ensuring patient safety whilst promoting innovation through an evidence based appraisal of devices during their introduction. This study reports the 2 year outcomes of the first Total Knee Replacement (TKR) implant to be assessed through the BC process. METHODS: 100 consecutive patients undergoing primary knee arthroplasty were enrolled. All patients received a single radius cruciate retaining TKA (Unity, Corin), and the patella was resurfaced in all cases. Patients were followed up at 6 weeks, 3, 6, 12 and 24 months post operatively. Pre-and post-operative range of movement (ROM) as well as outcome scores including OKS, KOOS, EQ5D index and EQ5D VAS were recorded. RESULTS: 100 patients with a mean age 73.6 (SD = 8.7) were included. 2 patients died during the follow-up period due to unrelated reasons. Overall satisfaction rates were 96%. Complications included ongoing pain (5 patients), and a periprosthetic fracture (1 patient) nine months post-surgery (traumatic). No knees were revised during the follow-up period. Significant improvements were observed in all outcomes measures (OKS, KOOS, EQ5D, and EQ5D VAS). The mean added ROM was 13.2°. DISCUSSION: This knee prosthesis has been demonstrated to be safe and effective with excellent early outcomes. The careful regulated introduction of this device through BC has ensured patients safety while supporting innovation in knee arthroplasty. The success of BC requires surgeons to insist industry fully engage with the process for all new devices or techniques.

A review of the New Zealand National Joint Registry to compare the outcomes of Coonrad-Morrey and Latitude total elbow arthroplasty.

BACKGROUND: Total elbow arthroplasty has traditionally been used in the treatment of inflammatory arthropathy patients. More and more, however, its use is expanding to include acute trauma and sequelae of trauma. In New Zealand, the most commonly used prosthesis is the Coonrad-Morrey prosthesis, but the Latitude prosthesis has gained in popularity, with a 3-fold increase in implantation over the past 5 years. METHODS: Prospectively collected national joint registry data were used to compare the survival rates of these prostheses. Underlying diagnoses, reasons for revision, and patient-reported outcome measures, as well as patient age and exact implants used, were all recorded. Statistical analysis involved survival analysis using Kaplan-Meier curves and the paired Student t test. RESULTS: Over the 18-year study interval, the Coonrad-Morrey prosthesis has shown consistently lower revision rates than the Latitude prosthesis. This was true for both the linked and unlinked Latitude prostheses and was not affected by radial head replacement or underlying diagnosis. In all cases, the risk of revision for the Coonrad-Morrey prosthesis was reduced by at least 65% compared with the Latitude prosthesis. CONCLUSION: This study using New Zealand Joint Registry data shows a lower failure rate of the Coonrad-Morrey elbow prosthesis compared with the Latitude prosthesis. The hazard ratio for a revision procedure for the Coonrad-Morrey prosthesis compared with the Latitude prosthesis was 0.28 (95% confidence interval, 0.14-0.55). This lower rate was evident irrespective of linkage and radial head replacement. The reason for the lower rate of revision with the Coonrad-Morrey prosthesis is likely multifactorial, but perhaps when used by lower-volume surgeons, the Coonrad-Morrey prosthesis may confer better implant longevity.

The Uptake of New Knee Replacement Implants in the UK: Analysis of the National Joint Registry for England and Wales.

BACKGROUND: Knee replacement (KR) surgery is one of the most common elective procedures in the UK. A large number of different KR implant brands are in use in the UK, which may contribute to variation in uptake and patient outcomes. METHODS: A cohort of 722,178 primary KRs performed for osteoarthritis (with or without other indications) by 2675 consultant surgeons between 2008 and 2017 in England and Wales from the National Joint Registry was examined. We described the uptake of new (first use >2008) KR implant brands, and variation in uptake by consultant surgeons (primary objectives). We explored consultant-level/patient-level factors associated with use/receipt of new implant brands with multilevel logistic regression models (secondary objectives). RESULTS: Sixty-five new KR implant brands were used in 22,134 KRs (3.1%) by 759 consultants (28.4%) between 2008 and 2017. Consultants used a median of 1 new brand (interquartile range = 1-2, max = 8) in 4.1% (interquartile range = 1.1%-12.3%) of their KRs. Younger patients (<55 vs 55-80, odds ratio [OR] = 1.63, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 1.54-1.72) and women (OR = 1.17, 95% CI = 1.13-1.22) had higher odds of receiving a new rather than established brand. Consultants who used more different implant brands had higher odds of using new brands (OR/additional implant/year = 2.57, 95% CI = 2.37-2.79). CONCLUSION: A large number of new KR implant brands have been introduced in the National Joint Registry since 2008. A quarter of consultants have tried a new implant brand but have used them in only a small proportion of primary KRs in this period. Younger, healthier patients are more likely to receive new implant brands, and they are more likely to be used by surgeons who use many different implant brands.

Surgical approaches for total elbow arthroplasties using data from the Dutch Arthroplasty Register.

BACKGROUND: Total elbow arthroplasty (TEA) is a relatively infrequently performed procedure. Therefore, nationwide databases help to provide more insight into factors that might influence implant survival, for example, the surgical approach used. Using data from the Dutch Arthroplasty Register, we aimed to reveal whether high-volume centers use different approaches than low-volume centers and whether the approach is implant specific. METHODS: Using data from 2014 to 2017, we compared the surgical approaches used for high- vs. low-volume centers, as well as for the 2 most frequently used types of TEA, by use of χ2 tests. RESULTS: We analyzed 276 procedures. In 2016 and 2017, when posterior approaches were further specified, the triceps-on approach was used most frequently in the high-volume center (27 of 42 procedures, 64%) and the triceps-flap approach was used most often in the low-volume centers (48 of 84 procedures, 57%) (P < .001). For the 2 most frequently used types of TEA, the Coonrad-Morrey and Latitude EV arthroplasties, the surgical approaches did not differ. When the high-volume center was compared with the low-volume centers, implant choice differed, with the Coonrad-Morrey arthroplasty being most often used in the high-volume center and the Latitude EV arthroplasty, in the low-volume centers. CONCLUSION: The posterior triceps-flap approach was the most frequently used surgical approach in primary TEA in the Netherlands, yet the triceps-on approach was used more often in the high-volume center. The surgical approaches did not differ between the 2 most frequently used types of TEA in the Netherlands.

Does laminar airflow make a difference to the infection rates for lower limb arthroplasty: a study using the National Joint Registry and local surgical site infection data for two hospitals with and without laminar airflow.

This study compared the National Joint Registry for England, Wales, Northern Ireland and the Isle of Man (NJR) data for total hip replacements (THRs) and total knee replacements (TKRs) from Hospital A [with laminar airflow (LAF)] and Hospital B (without LAF). These hospitals were originally managed by two different trusts that subsequently merged. Consequently, the theatres in Hospital A have always had LAF and those in Hospital B had only conventional ventilation systems. As this merger happened before the establishment of the NJR, it puts us in a unique position, enabling direct comparison of the revision rates for infected hip and knee replacements between the two hospitals that follow similar infection protocols. Analysis of the NJR data showed there were no statistical differences. Of the 2234 TKRs performed at Hospital A, 16 were revised for infection, whereas 19 of the 3694 TKRs at Hospital B were revised (p < 0.33). Of the 1752 THRs at Hospital A, 5 were revised for infection, whereas this was the case for 12 of the 3163 THRs at Hospital B (p < 0.59). There was also no statistical difference when combining the figures for TKRs and THRs (p < 0.59). Our local surgical site infection (SSI) data from these two hospitals were also analysed. Again, there was no statistical difference between the two sites (p < 0.34). Using LAF has not reduced the rate of revision for infection nor it has reduced the incidence of SSI in our theatres. This is the first study comparing infection rates in two different hospitals serving similar patient populations using the NJR and SSI data. Our study questions the rationale of increasing use of LAF in routine lower limb arthroplasty. We call for greater debate and more robust studies on the subject.

The impact of body mass index on patient reported outcome measures (PROMs) and complications following primary hip arthroplasty.

Influence of BMI upon patient outcomes and complications following THA was examined across a national cohort of patients. Outcomes were compared by BMI groups (19.0-29.9kg/m(2) [reference], 30.0-34.9kg/m(2) [obese class I], 35.0kg/m(2)+ [obese class II/III]), adjusted for case-mix differences. Obese class I patients had a significantly smaller improvement in OHS (18.9 versus 20.5, P<0.001) and a greater risk of wound complications (odds ratio [OR]=1.57, P=0.006). For obese class II/III patients, there were significantly smaller improvements in OHS and EQ-5D index (P<0.001), and greater risk of wound complications (P=0.006), readmission (P=0.001) and reoperation (P=0.003). Large improvements in patient outcomes were seen irrespective of BMI, although improvements were marginally smaller and complication rates higher in obese patients.

Total elbow replacement in England: a protocol for analysis of National Joint Registry and Hospital Episode Statistics data.

INTRODUCTION: Primary total elbow replacement (TER) services in England are being restructured with the goal of centralising care to specialised centres. It is important to monitor the impact of this service redesign. This protocol outlines an intended analysis to provide detailed descriptions of the patients who are receiving primary TER, where and by whom TER is being performed, and what the current surgical practices for TER are in England before the reconfiguration. METHODS: This analysis will use the National Joint Registry (NJR) elbow dataset and link it with NHS England Hospital Episode Statistics-Admitted Patient Care (HES-APC). It will include eligible patients from the start of the NJR elbow dataset in April 2012 to December 2022. The main objective is to determine the incidence of TER in England. Age-sex standardised rates will be calculated for groups including different ethnicities, and socioeconomic backgrounds, using the mid-year population data provided by the Office for National Statistics. This planned analysis will summarise patient characteristics such as age, sex, body mass index (BMI), hand dominance, American Society of Anaesthesiologists (ASA) grade, indication for TER, socioeconomic status, and patient co-morbidities. It will also examine implant fixation type, classification, brand/type, and changes over time in implant types used in England. Additionally, it will explore the characteristics and volume of the surgeons and hospitals providing primary TER services, including the grade of the primary surgeons, funding source for surgery, and admission type. The analysis will cover the number of procedures performed by surgeons and hospitals annually in England and in each region of England. Finally, the planned analysis will summarise the elective wait time, postoperative length of stay, and any serious adverse events or re-admissions within 30 and 90 days after the TER. DISCUSSION: This protocol describes the first deep dive analysis into the NJR elbow dataset to describe the incidence of TER surgery in England and the characteristics of patients who are receiving it. This analysis will summarise current primary TER practices in England before service reconfigurations. The impact of reconfiguration can be monitored by comparing future practice to the outcomes from this study. Trial registration ClinicalTrials.gov, NCT06355011. Registered 02 April 2024, https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT06355011 .

Total knee arthroplasty: Quality assurance and improved longevity costs less.

Background: There is an accepted variation in the financial cost of total knee arthroplasty (TKA) implants but it is not known whether this cost is reflected by the evidence in support of their use. A cost analysis study was carried out to determine the total cost of consumables of a TKA, and whether this was related to the supporting evidence and survivorship data. Methods: Intra-operative data for all unilateral, cemented, primary TKA over a 13 month period at a high-volume Orthopaedic Centre was collected. Level of evidence for each model was taken from the Orthopaedic Data Evaluation Panel (ODEP) website, and data from the UK National Joint Registry was used to assign survivorship (failure rates). Correlation was calculated using the Spearman rank correlation (r). Results: A total of 1301 TKA were performed at the study centre during the data collection period. The mean cost of consumables for a TKA with patella resurfacing (n = 816) was £1969.08 (range of £1061.46 and £5143.89), and without resurfacing (n = 485) was £1846.62 (range of £1118.98 and £4196.81). There was a negative correlation between price of implant and ODEP rating (r = -0.47), with increasing level of evidence being associated with a lower cost. There was a positive correlation between price of implant and rate of implant failure at the1-, 3- and 5-year time-points (r = 0.55, 0.44, 0.28 respectively), with increasing cost being associated with a higher failure rate. Conclusion: Higher financial cost of TKA prostheses was associated with a weaker level of supporting evidence and a higher failure rate. The increased financial cost of new implants may be justified as more data and evidence becomes available to support an advantage in its use over currently established implants.

A Perspective of Growth of Unicompartmental Knee Replacement in India - Registry Data and Global Trends.

Introduction: The purpose of this study is to analyze the trend of unicompartmental knee replacement (UKR) in India, based on the data obtained from the Indian joint registry, in comparison with the global trends. Materials and Methods: This study is a retrospective analysis of data from an Indian joint registry for cases performed between 2016 and 2021. A total of 1086 UKRs were identified and the following information was analyzed: demographic data, diagnosis leading to primary UKR, yearwise surgeon inclination toward UKR, implant preference, regions where UKR was preferred, and the effect of robotics in UKR. UKR registry data were compared with the registry data from the UK (NJR), Sweden (SKAR), Australia (AOJR), and the USA (AJRR). Results: One thousand eighty-six UKRs were included in the study: The vast majority of them (97%) were implanted due to primary osteoarthritis followed by deformity (2%), as in accordance with other registries. Since 2016, though very minimal, there has been a gradual increase in the numbers and the percentage of cases contributed by UKR, of all knee replacements with the maximum of 2.85% reported in 2019. The same has been observed in the global trends as well. Oxford knees (60%) are the most preferred implants followed by journey uni knee (20%) in India. The cities where more unicompartmental knee are performed are in the order of Mumbai (32.78%), Faridabad (9.39%), Pune (7.92%), and Hyderabad (6.35%). Surgeon preference for robotic assisted UKR is increasing, accounting for 34% of UKR in 2020, which is in coherence with AOJR. Conclusion: The percentage of knee replacements contributed by UKR is increasing globally and the same trend can be observed in India. Oxford phase III prosthesis are the most preferred UKR prosthesis. UKRs are mostly performed in selected pockets of India, with Mumbai almost contributing to one-third of all the cases. The use of robotics in UKR is increasing and is expected to give better results in the future.

First-time revision knee arthroplasty using a hinged prosthesis : temporal trends, indications, and risk factors associated with re-revision using data from the National Joint Registry for 3,855 patients.

AIMS: The aim of this study was to identify variables associated with time to revision, demographic details associated with revision indication, and type of prosthesis employed, and to describe the survival of hinge knee arthroplasty (HKA) when used for first-time knee revision surgery and factors that were associated with re-revision. METHODS: Patient demographic details, BMI, American Society of Anesthesiologists (ASA) grade, indication for revision, surgical approach, surgeon grade, implant type (fixed and rotating), time of revision from primary implantation, and re-revision if undertaken were obtained from the National Joint Registry data for England, Wales, Northern Ireland, and the Isle of Man over an 18-year period (2003 to 2021). RESULTS: There were 3,855 patient episodes analyzed with a median age of 73 years (interquartile range (IQR) 66 to 80), and the majority were female (n = 2,480, 64.3%). The median time to revision from primary knee arthroplasty was 1,219 days (IQR 579 to 2,422). Younger age (p < 0.001), decreasing ASA grade (p < 0.001), and indications for revision of sepsis (p < 0.001), unexplained pain (p < 0.001), non-polyethylene wear (p < 0.001), and malalignment (p < 0.001) were all associated with an earlier time to revision from primary implantation. The median follow-up was 4.56 years (range 0.00 to 17.52), during which there were 410 re-revisions. The overall unadjusted probability of re-revision for all revision HKAs at one, five, and ten years after surgery were 2.7% (95% confidence interval (CI) 2.2 to 3.3), 10.7% (95% CI 9.6 to 11.9), and 16.2% (95% CI 14.5 to 17.9), respectively. Male sex (p < 0.001), younger age (p < 0.001), revision for septic indications (p < 0.001) or implant fracture (p = 0.010), a fixed hinge (p < 0.001), or surgery performed by a non-consultant grade (p = 0.023) were independently associated with an increased risk of re-revision. CONCLUSION: There were several factors associated with time to first revision. The re-revision rate was 16.2% at ten years; however, the risk factors associated with an increased risk of re-revision could be used to counsel patients regarding their outcome.Cite this article: Bone Joint J 2023;105-B(1):47-55.

The positive impact of GIRFT (getting it right first time) on arthroplasty services in times of COVID-19.

Background: This observational study evaluates the trends in arthroplasty services across National Health Services (NHS) following the COVID-19 pandemic about GIRFT (Getting it Right First Time) guidelines concerning National joint registry data (NJR data). Introduction: Since the advent of the COVID-19 crisis sustainability of elective arthroplasty services have become a burning question in NHS. Capacity crisis, unknown COVID-19 infection status, lack of ring-fenced beds, winter crisis, and unprecedented trauma have aggravated the situation further leading to severe impairment in quality of life and service provision. GIRFT guidelines have suggested a few solutions to this crisis and one of them is dividing the hospitals into Hot (trauma) and cold (elective) sites. Objectives: To review NJR data for pre and post COVID era along with the service structure of the hospital and test the hypothesis that whether redistribution of services into hot and cold sites is a possible solution for sustainable arthroplasty service across NHS. Methodology: A search was made into the NJR data from 2019, 2020, and 2021. The First 7 months were taken from each year I.e. From Ist January to 31st of July. A review of entries for arthroplasty was considered for all hospitals across England and Wales. Hospitals in Scotland, Ireland, and Isles of Man and major trauma centers were excluded.Any hospital that was recording at least 15 arthroplasty cases for 4 out of 7 months in 2021 was considered for review. A brief evaluation of their service structure was made, and hospitals were divided into Elective Centres (EC), Urgent Care Centres (UCC), and District General Hospitals (DGH) with in-house emergency services based on the information provided on their official website. In NJR data "completed operations by submission date" column was considered as a reference for data collection. A total of 1807, 1800, and 1810 were identified for 2019, 2020, and 2021 respectively.However, after applying inclusion criteria total number of entries was reduced to 120 hospitals. Data analysis and selection of hospitals were reviewed twice by two authors (MMK and AP) at different times to avoid any bias and reduce the chances of human error that can affect the outcome. A sub-analysis of data for the last 3 months (May, June, and July) was also performed for the respective years to get a better picture of arthroplasty trends and reduce the flaws of data interpretation. Ethical approval and data consideration: A formal approval was taken from the NJR team in the UK before the data processing was initiated. The data source being used was available for public review on the NJR website. The team was happy for us to process and evaluate the data as per needs of our study. However, they requested a disclaimer and appreciation note for the members of the NJR team and hospital personnel across the UK that have made the provision of data and subsequent analysis leading to this study feasible. Results: 18 EC were included. The mean number of cases recorded per center was 427, 68, 348 for 2019, 2020, and 2021 respectively.20 UCC were identified. The mean number of cases performed were 213, 24, and 195 in 2019, 2020, and 2021 respectively.Similarly, 60 DGH with emergency services were included and the average number of cases recorded were 194, 27, and 166 for 2019, 2020, and 2021 respectively. Compared to 2019 out of 148 DGH in 2019 only 60 can provide a sustainable arthroplasty service signifying a drop of 40% in 2021 in the number of DGH which are contributing to elective services. Conclusions: The overall productivity of theatres in terms of arthroplasty services has decreased since the reinitialization of services in 2021. There is a need of hour to divide the services into hot and cold sites in terms of A/E and elective centers to provide safe and uninterrupted provision of arthroplasty services and address long waiting times for patients. Provisional of ring-fenced beds and arthroplasty wards is more technically feasible in centers that are not providing in-house emergency admission pathways or are specialist, dedicated elective centers.

Periprosthetic joint infection: what next?

Periprosthetic joint infection (PJI) remains an extremely challenging complication. We have focused on this issue more over the last decade than previously, but there are still many unanswered questions. We now have a workable definition that everyone should align to, but we need to continue to focus on identifying the organisms involved. Surgical strategies are evolving and care is becoming more patient-centred. There are some good studies under way. There are, however, still numerous problems to resolve, and the challenge of PJI remains a major one for the orthopaedic community. This annotation provides some up-to-date thoughts about where we are, and the way forward. There is still scope for plenty of research in this area.Cite this article: Bone Joint J 2022;104-B(11):1193-1195.

Temporal trends in comorbidity in adult elective hip and knee arthroplasty patients in England : a national population-based cohort study from the National Joint Registry.

AIMS: Our main aim was to describe the trend in the comorbidities of patients undergoing elective total hip arthroplasties (THAs) and knee arthroplasties (KAs) between 1 January 2005 and 31 December 2018 in England. METHODS: We combined data from the National Joint Registry (NJR) on primary elective hip and knee arthroplasties performed between 2005 and 2018 with pre-existing conditions recorded at the time of their primary operation from Hospital Episodes Statistics. We described the temporal trend in the number of comorbidities identified using the Charlson Comorbidity Index, and how this varied by age, sex, American Society of Anesthesiologists (ASA) grade, index of multiple deprivation, and type of KA. RESULTS: We included 696,504 and 833,745 elective primary THAs and KAs respectively, performed for any indication. Between 2005 and 2018, the proportion of elective THA and KA patients with one or more comorbidity at the time of their operation increased substantially (THA: 20% to 38%, KA: 22% to 41%). This was driven by increases in four conditions: chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) (2018: ~17%), diabetes without complications (2018: THA 10%, KA 14%), myocardial infarction (2018: 4%), and renal disease (2018: ~8%). Notably, renal disease prevalence increased from < 1% in 2005 to ~8% in 2018. CONCLUSION: Between 2005 and 2018 there were significant changes in the number of comorbidities recorded in patients having elective primary THAs and KAs. Renal disease is now one of the most prevalent comorbidities in this patient population. Future research should explore whether this comorbidity trend has increased the burden on other medical specialities to optimize these patients before surgery and to provide additional postoperative care.Cite this article: Bone Joint J 2022;104-B(9):1052-1059.

Mortality and re-revision following single-stage and two-stage revision surgery for the management of infected primary knee arthroplasty in England and Wales : evidence from the National Joint Registry.

AIMS: We compared the risks of re-revision and mortality between two-stage revision surgery and single-stage revision surgery among patients with infected primary knee arthroplasty. METHODS: Patients with a periprosthetic joint infection (PJI) of their primary knee arthroplasty, initially revised with a single-stage or a two-stage procedure in England and Wales between 2003 and 2014, were identified from the National Joint Registry. We used Poisson regression with restricted cubic splines to compute hazard ratios (HR) at different postoperative periods. The total number of revisions and re-revisions undergone by patients was compared between the two strategies. RESULTS: A total of 489 primary knee arthroplasties were revised with single-stage procedure (1,390 person-years) and 2,377 with two-stage procedure (8,349 person-years). The adjusted incidence rates of all-cause re-revision and for infection were comparable between these strategies (HR overall five years, 1.15 (95% confidence interval (CI) 0.87 to 1.52), p = 0.308; HR overall five years, 0.99 (95% CI 0.70 to 1.39), p = 0.949, respectively). Patients initially managed with single-stage revision received fewer revision procedures overall than after two-stage revision (1.2 vs 2.2, p < 0.001). Mortality was lower for single-stage revision between six and 18 months postoperative (HR at six months, 0.51 (95% CI 0.25 to 1.00), p = 0.049 HR at 18 months, 0.33 (95% CI 0.12 to 0.99), p = 0.048) and comparable at other timepoints. CONCLUSION: The risk of re-revision was similar between single- and two-stage revision for infected primary knee arthroplasty. Single-stage group required fewer revisions overall, with lower or comparable mortality at specific postoperative periods. The single-stage revision is a safe and effective strategy to treat infected knee arthroplasties. There is potential for increased use to reduce the burden of knee PJI for patients, and for the healthcare system.Cite this article: Bone Joint Res 2022;11(10):690-699.

Implementing large-scale data quality validation in a national arthroplasty registry to improve compliance : the National Joint Registry data quality audit programme.

Data of high quality are critical for the meaningful interpretation of registry information. The National Joint Registry (NJR) was established in 2002 as the result of an unexpectedly high failure rate of a cemented total hip arthroplasty. The NJR began data collection in 2003. In this study we report on the outcomes following the establishment of a formal data quality (DQ) audit process within the NJR, within which each patient episode entry is validated against the hospital unit's Patient Administration System and vice-versa. This process enables bidirectional validation of every NJR entry and retrospective correction of any errors in the dataset. In 2014/15 baseline average compliance was 92.6% and this increased year-on-year with repeated audit cycles to 96.0% in 2018/19, with 76.4% of units achieving > 95% compliance. Following the closure of the audit cycle, an overall compliance rate of 97.9% was achieved for the 2018/19 period. An automated system was initiated in 2018 to reduce administrative burden and to integrate the DQ process into standard workflows. Our processes and quality improvement results demonstrate that DQ may be implemented successfully at national level, while minimizing the burden on hospitals.Cite this article: Bone Jt Open 2022;3(9):716-725.

The risk of all-cause mortality, heart outcomes, cancer, and neurodegenerative disorders with cobalt-chrome-containing total hip arthroplasty implants : an analysis of the National Joint Registry.

AIMS: A recent report from France suggested an association between the use of cobalt-chrome femoral heads in total hip arthroplasties (THAs) and an increased risk of dilated cardiomyopathy and heart failure. Cobalt-chrome is a commonly used material in orthopaedic implants. If the reported association is causal, the consequences would be significant given the millions of joint replacements and other orthopaedic procedures in which cobalt-chrome is used annually. We examined whether cobalt-chrome-containing THAs were associated with an increased risk of all-cause mortality, heart outcomes, cancer, and neurodegenerative disorders in a large national database. METHODS: Data from the National Joint Registry was linked to NHS English hospital inpatient episodes for 374,359 primary THAs with up to 14.5 years follow-up. We excluded any patients with bilateral THAs, knee replacements, indications other than osteoarthritis, aged under 55 years, and diagnosis of one or more outcome of interest before THA. Implants were grouped as either containing cobalt-chrome or not containing cobalt-chrome. The association between implant construct and the risk of all-cause mortality and incident heart failure, cancer, and neurodegenerative disorders was examined. RESULTS: There were 158,677 individuals (42.4%) with an implant containing cobalt-chrome. There were 47,963 deaths, 27,332 heart outcomes, 35,720 cancers, and 22,025 neurodegenerative disorders. There was no evidence of an association that patients with cobalt-chrome implants had higher rates of any of the outcomes. CONCLUSION: Cobalt-chrome-containing THAs did not have an increased risk of all-cause mortality, or clinically meaningful heart outcomes, cancer or neurodegenerative disorders into the second decade post-implantation. Our findings will help reassure clinicians and the increasing number of patients receiving primary THA worldwide that the use of cobalt-chrome containing implants is not associated with significant adverse systemic effects.

The risk of all-cause mortality, heart outcomes, cancer, and neurodegenerative disorders with cobalt-chrome-containing total hip arthroplasty implants : an analysis of the National Joint Registry.

AIMS: A recent report from France suggested an association between the use of cobalt-chrome (CoCr) femoral heads in total hip arthroplasties (THAs) and an increased risk of dilated cardiomyopathy and heart failure. CoCr is a commonly used material in orthopaedic implants. If the reported association is causal, the consequences would be significant given the millions of joint arthroplasties and other orthopaedic procedures in which CoCr is used annually. We examined whether CoCr-containing THAs were associated with an increased risk of all-cause mortality, heart outcomes, cancer, and neurodegenerative disorders in a large national database. METHODS: Data from the National Joint Registry was linked to NHS English hospital inpatient episodes for 374,359 primary THAs with up to 14.5 years' follow-up. We excluded any patients with bilateral THAs, knee arthroplasties, indications other than osteoarthritis, aged under 55 years, and diagnosis of one or more outcome of interest before THA. Implants were grouped as either containing CoCr or not containing CoCr. The association between implant construct and the risk of all-cause mortality and incident heart failure, cancer, and neurodegenerative disorders was examined. RESULTS: There were 158,677 individuals (42.4%) with an implant containing CoCr. There were 47,963 deaths, 27,332 heart outcomes, 35,720 cancers, and 22,025 neurodegenerative disorders. There was no evidence of an association between patients with CoCr implants and higher rates of any of the outcomes. CONCLUSION: CoCr-containing THAs did not have an increased risk of all-cause mortality, or clinically meaningful heart outcomes, cancer, or neurodegenerative disorders into the second decade post-implantation. Our findings will help reassure clinicians and the increasing number of patients receiving primary THA worldwide that the use of CoCr-containing implants is not associated with significant adverse systemic effects. Cite this article: Bone Joint J 2022;104-B(3):359-367.