Perioperative Periprosthetic Femur Fractures are Strongly Correlated With Fixation Method: an Analysis From the American Joint Replacement Registry.

BACKGROUND: Perioperative periprosthetic femur fractures (PPFx) after total hip arthroplasty (THA) remain a leading cause of early stem failure and revision and are associated with high rates of morbidity and mortality. American Joint Replacement Registry (AJRR) data have been analyzed to determine the relationship of femoral stem fixation to PPFx revision. METHODS: All early (≤3 months from index arthroplasty) linked primary and revision hip arthroplasties reported to the AJRR between 2012 and 2017 were analyzed. We evaluated patient demographics, arthroplasty type (hemiarthroplasty vs THA), and stem fixation. RESULTS: A total of 10,277 linked revisions were reported to the AJRR during 2012-2017. Early PPFx requiring revision occurred in 628 patients (6.1%) due to osteoarthritis (82.4%), femoral neck fracture (12.1%), and other causes (15.6%). Five hundred twenty-nine patients (84%) were treated with THA and 99 patients with hemiarthroplasty (16%). Females (70%) have a higher prevalence of revisions. Fifty-eight percent of patients were ≥70 years of age, and 20% were ≥80 years of age. Patients with cementless stems were 2.6 times (account 94.9% of the fractures, 95% confidence interval 0.59-11.1) more likely to undergo early revision for PPFx than those with cemented fixation, although not statistically significant with its sample size. CONCLUSION: Mirroring other studies and national registries, there was an association between cementless fixation and PPFx in AJRR. Nevertheless, AJRR data demonstrate a trend of increasing utilization of cementless femoral fixation for THA and hemiarthroplasty, with cementless fixation accounting for 93% of THA stems with early periprosthetic fracture. Additional analysis is needed to better understand this phenomenon, especially in the elderly.

The Efficacy of Tranexamic Acid in Total Knee Arthroplasty: A Network Meta-Analysis.

BACKGROUND: A growing body of published research on tranexamic acid (TXA) suggests that it is effective in reducing blood loss and the risk for transfusion in total knee arthroplasty (TKA). The purpose of this network meta-analysis was to evaluate TXA in primary TKA as the basis for the efficacy recommendations of the combined clinical practice guidelines of the American Association of Hip and Knee Surgeons, American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons, Hip Society, Knee Society, and American Society of Regional Anesthesia and Pain Medicine on the use of TXA in primary total joint arthroplasty. METHODS: We searched Ovid MEDLINE, Embase, Cochrane Reviews, Scopus, and Web of Science databases for publications before July 2017 on TXA in primary total joint arthroplasty. All included studies underwent qualitative and quantitative homogeneity testing. Direct and indirect comparisons were performed as a network meta-analysis, and results were tested for consistency. RESULTS: After critical appraisal of the available 2113 publications, 67 articles were identified as representing the best available evidence. Topical, intravenous (IV), and oral TXA formulations were all superior to placebo in terms of decreasing blood loss and risk of transfusion, while no formulation was clearly superior. Use of repeat IV and oral TXA dosing and higher doses of IV and topical TXA did not significantly reduce blood loss or risk of transfusion. Preincision administration of IV TXA had inconsistent findings with a reduced risk of transfusion but no effect on volume of blood loss. CONCLUSIONS: Strong evidence supports the efficacy of TXA to decrease blood loss and the risk of transfusion after primary TKA. No TXA formulation, dosage, or number of doses provided clearly improved blood-sparing properties for TKA. Moderate evidence supports preincision administration of IV TXA to improve efficacy.

The Safety of Tranexamic Acid in Total Joint Arthroplasty: A Direct Meta-Analysis.

BACKGROUND: Tranexamic acid (TXA) is effective in reducing blood loss in total joint arthroplasty (TJA), but concerns still remain regarding the drug's safety. The purpose of this direct meta-analysis was to evaluate and establish a basis for the safety recommendations of the combined clinical practice guidelines on the use of TXA in primary TJA. METHODS: A search was completed for studies published before July 2017 on TXA in primary TJA. We performed qualitative and quantitative homogeneity testing and a direct comparison meta-analysis. We used the American Society of Anesthesiologists (ASA) score of 3 or greater as a proxy for patients at higher risk for complications in general and performed a meta-regression analysis to investigate the influence of comorbidity burden on the risk of arterial thromboembolic event and venous thromboembolic event (VTE). RESULTS: Topical, intravenous, and oral TXA were not associated with an increased risk of VTE after TJA. In addition, meta-regression demonstrated that TXA use in patients with an ASA status of 3 or greater was not associated with an increased risk of VTE after total knee arthroplasty. CONCLUSION: Although most studies included in our analysis excluded patients with a history of prior thromboembolic events, our findings support the lack of evidence of harm from TXA administration in patients undergoing TJA. Moderate evidence supports the safety of TXA in patients undergoing total knee arthroplasty with an ASA score of 3 or greater. The benefits of using TXA appear to outweigh the potential risks of thromboembolic events even in patients with a higher comorbidity.

The Efficacy of Tranexamic Acid in Total Hip Arthroplasty: A Network Meta-analysis.

BACKGROUND: Tranexamic acid (TXA) is an antifibrinolytic agent commonly used to reduce blood loss in total hip arthroplasty (THA). The purpose of our study was to evaluate the efficacy of TXA in primary THA to support the combined clinical practice guidelines of the American Association of Hip and Knee Surgeons, American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons, Hip Society, Knee Society, and American Society of Regional Anesthesia and Pain Medicine on the use of TXA in primary total joint arthroplasty. METHODS: A search was performed using Ovid-MEDLINE, Embase, Cochrane Reviews, Scopus, and Web of Science databases to identify all publications before July 2017 on TXA in primary THA. We completed qualitative and quantitative homogeneity testing of all included studies. Direct and indirect comparisons were analyzed using a network meta-analysis followed by consistency testing of the results. RESULTS: Two thousand one hundred thirteen publications underwent critical appraisal with 34 publications identified as representing the best available evidence for inclusion in the analysis. Topical, intravenous, and oral TXA formulations provided reduced blood loss and risk of transfusion compared to placebo, but no formulation was clearly superior. Use of repeat doses, higher doses, or variation in timing of administration did not significantly reduce blood loss or risk of transfusion. CONCLUSIONS: Strong evidence supports the use of TXA to reduce blood loss and risk of transfusion after primary THA. No specific routes of administration, dosage, dosing regimen, or time of administration provides clearly superior blood-sparing properties.

Mixed Treatment Comparisons for Nonsurgical Treatment of Knee Osteoarthritis: A Network Meta-analysis.

INTRODUCTION: Knee osteoarthritis (KOA) is a significant health problem with lifetime risk of development estimated to be 45%. Effective nonsurgical treatments are needed for the management of symptoms. METHODS: We designed a network meta-analysis to determine clinically relevant effectiveness of nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, acetaminophen, intra-articular (IA) corticosteroids, IA platelet-rich plasma, and IA hyaluronic acid compared with each other as well as with oral and IA placebos. We used PubMed, EMBASE, and Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials to perform a systematic search of KOA treatments with no date limits and last search on October 7, 2015. Article inclusion criteria considered the following: target population, randomized controlled study design, English language, human subjects, treatments and outcomes of interest, ≥30 patients per group, and consistent follow-up. Using the best available evidence, two abstractors independently extracted pain and function data at or near the most common follow-up time. RESULTS: For pain, all active treatments showed significance over oral placebo, with IA corticosteroids having the largest magnitude of effect and significant difference only over IA placebo. For function, no IA treatments showed significance compared with either placebo, and naproxen was the only treatment showing clinical significance compared with oral placebo. Cumulative probabilities showed naproxen to be the most effective individual treatment, and when combined with IA corticosteroids, it is the most probable to improve pain and function. DISCUSSION: Naproxen ranked most effective among conservative treatments of KOA and should be considered when treating pain and function because of its relative safety and low cost. The best available evidence was analyzed, but there were instances of inconsistency in the design and duration among articles, potentially affecting uniform data inclusion.