Faculty Bibliography

BACKGROUND:Large-diameter head total hip arthroplasty (LDH-THA) emerged in the late 1990s as a stemmed alternative to hip resurfacing arthroplasty (HRA). Both procedures use metal-on-metal (MoM) bearings to permit larger heads, lower dislocation risk, and optimize function in younger, active patients. While concerns over metal ion release and adverse local tissue reactions curtailed MoM use, long-term follow-up remains critical for the substantial population with these devices in situ. This review compares LDH-THA and HRA in clinical outcomes, metal ion levels, and revision rates to guide long-term management and future implant design. METHODS:PubMed, Embase, and Scopus were searched for studies reporting patient-reported outcomes, metal ion levels, or revision rates for both LDH-THA and HRA. The risk of bias was assessed using the Methodological Index for Non-Randomized Studies score. Random-effects meta-analysis evaluated revision risk; cobalt and chromium levels; University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) activity; Harris-Hip Scores (HHS); Oxford Hip Scores (OHS); and Western Ontario and McMaster Universities Osteoarthritis Index. RESULTS:Of 221 studies, 21 met inclusion criteria, including 5,545 LDH-THAs and 3,197 HRAs. The unweighted pooled revision rate was 16% for THA and 7.8% for HRA. Meta-analysis showed higher cobalt (standardized mean difference [SMD] 1.07) and chromium (SMD 0.53) levels in THA. Revision risk (odds ratio 1.75), UCLA (-0.44), and HHS (-0.32) favored HRA, though not significantly. CONCLUSION/CONCLUSIONS:Although the usage of large-head MoM THA is largely historic, our findings suggest that MoM hip resurfacing arthroplasty has a more favorable outcomes profile with reduced systemic metal ion exposure, reinforcing its role in younger, active patients, where conventional or large-head THA may fall short. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE/METHODS:Level III, systematic review of Level I, II, and III studies. See Instructions for Authors for a complete description of levels of evidence.

INTRODUCTION/BACKGROUND:Obtaining an accurate preoperative diagnosis of periprosthetic joint infections (PJI) is challenging, making differentiating between septic and aseptic failures difficult. We sought to identify the value of common serum biomarkers and evaluate the accuracy of three ratios in the diagnosis of PJI after primary total knee arthroplasty (TKA): albumin-globulin ratio (AGR), C-reactive protein-albumin ratio (CAR), and C-reactive protein-AGR ratio (CAGR). METHODS:Patients undergoing PJI and aseptic revisions after TKA between 2011 and 2021 were retrospectively reviewed at a single institution. Only patients who had reported serum white blood cell (WBC), C-reactive protein (CRP), erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR), albumin (Alb), and total protein (TP) were included. Areas under the curve (AUCs), which optimize diagnostic performance by balancing sensitivity and specificity at a specific cutoff, were calculated for each individual biomarker and the three ratio groups: AGR = Alb / [TP - Alb], CAR = CRP / Alb, and CAGR = CRP / AGR). Higher AUCs indicate improved identification of PJI while reducing misclassification. RESULTS:Out of the 126 included cases, 89 were confirmed PJIs and 37 were aseptic revisions. Among the single and combination serum biomarkers, the AUCs were as follows: CRP (0.85), ESR (0.76), Alb (0.81), AGR (0.78), CAR (0.87), and CAGR (0.87). The CAR demonstrated excellent accuracy at a cutoff of 2.46, with a sensitivity of 0.74 and specificity of 0.84. CAGR also demonstrated excellent accuracy at a cutoff of 7.09, with a sensitivity of 0.80 and specificity of 0.78. CONCLUSION/CONCLUSIONS:The CRP, CAR, and CAGR showed an excellent diagnostic accuracy as markers for PJI. In patients undergoing revision TKA, common serum biomarkers such as Alb, TP, CRP, and ESR can be obtained, and CAR or CAGR ratios can be calculated to aid in the diagnosis of PJI, especially in cases where synovial analysis is inconclusive, allowing for better clinical decision-making.

BACKGROUND:Obesity is a known risk factor for complications after total hip arthroplasty (THA), with societal guidelines recommending surgical delay for patients above body mass index (BMI) targets. Consequently, patients are motivated to reach BMI targets before the office visit, discussing surgical booking. Our study investigates BMI fluctuations between surgical booking and the surgery date and whether these fluctuations have implications for peri- and postoperative outcomes. METHODS:We retrospectively reviewed our institutional database for elective, primary, unilateral THA from 2015 to 2024 with a minimum 90-day follow-up. The cohort was stratified into three groups by percent BMI change from booking date to THA date: Group 1, decrease in BMI; Group 2, 0 to 5% increase in BMI; and Group 3, > 5% increase in BMI. Baseline demographic factors, as well as peri- and postoperative outcomes, were compared. A multivariate regression analysis evaluated risk factors for interval change in BMI. We reviewed 10,400 THA patients who had an average 62-day delay between booking and surgery dates, where 44.2, 42.2, and 13.6% were allocated to Groups 1, 2, and 3, respectively. RESULTS:Operative time, length of stay, and discharge to a rehab facility were significantly higher in Group 3 compared to the others. There were no significant differences seen in 90-day outcomes, including emergency department (ED) visits, readmissions, or revision rates. Multivariate regression analyses identified that elevated BMI at the time of surgery predicted increased septic revision incidence (OR [odds ratio]: 1.1, P < 0.001). Surgical delay and BMI change between booking and surgery did not influence all-cause and septic revision rates. CONCLUSION/CONCLUSIONS:Our study is the first to evaluate preoperative BMI fluctuations between the booking date and surgery date. We found that most patients (55.8%) gained weight, with 13.6% increasing > 5% BMI. Importantly, these weight changes do not impact short-term complications or revision rates, comforting THA surgeons who see interval weight gain on the day of surgery.

BACKGROUND:The increasing prevalence of chronic antithrombotic medication use among aging and medically complex total joint arthroplasty (TJA) patients poses major challenges, requiring a careful balance of thrombotic and bleeding risks. METHODS:This review aimed to summarize existing guidelines and supporting literature surrounding the perioperative management of chronic antithrombotics in patients undergoing TJA and identify remaining gaps and challenges to guide future research efforts. RESULTS:Current guidelines strongly recommend continuing aspirin throughout the perioperative period for TJA patients while advising the cessation of P2Y12 inhibitors and anticoagulants preoperatively, with specific timing dependent on patient- and procedure-related risks. There remains a critical gap in high-quality evidence and standardized guidelines regarding optimal postoperative resumption of chronic antithrombotics, leading to wide variability in practices and reliance on surgeon judgment. CONCLUSIONS:Future research efforts should prioritize developing evidence-based perioperative protocols tailored specifically for TJA patients on chronic antithrombotic therapy, similar to existing multidisciplinary guidelines for immunosuppressive management.

INTRODUCTION/BACKGROUND:A two-stage revision has long been the gold standard for chronic periprosthetic joint infections (PJI), with real-component articulating spacers becoming overwhelmingly popular. While several studies have evaluated the success of these spacers in revision total knee arthroplasty (rTKA), to our knowledge, this is the first to specifically compare outcomes of spacers stratified by the level of liner constraint. METHODS:This retrospective analysis reviewed 135 patients who were indicated for two-stage rTKA due to PJI between 2011 and 2023 at a single specialty urban academic institution. Patients were categorized into three groups based on the polyethylene liner constraint used during the first stage: cruciate retaining (CR), posterior stabilized (PS), and varus-valgus constrained (VVC). Of these 135 patients, 60 (44%) were categorized in the CR group, 47 (35%) were in the PS group, and 28 (21%) were in the VVC group. These groups were compared after each stage for peri- and postoperative outcomes such as operative time, length of stay (LOS), discharge disposition, knee range of motion (ROM), as well as incidence of re-revision and reinfection. RESULTS:The mean postoperative LOS was not different among cohorts for both stages. Operative time was significantly longer in the VVC group after the second stage (P = 0.007), while there was no difference after the first stage (P = 0.085). There were no differences in ROM after both stages. The mean ROM after the first stage was 92° in the CR group, 90° in the PS group, and 85° in the VVC group (P = 0.46). After the second stage, ROM was 101° in both the CR and VVC groups and 107° in the PS group (P = 0.28). There were no differences in the risk of re-revision due to re-infection across the groups after the first or second stage procedures. The re-infection incidence after the first stage was 14% in the VVC group, compared to 5% in the CR group and 4% in the PS group (P = 0.14). After the second stage, the reinfection risk was 21% in the VVC group, 8% in the CR group, and 13% in the PS group (P = 0.21). CONCLUSION/CONCLUSIONS:No significant differences were observed in the risk of complications such as re-infection, re-revisions, and postoperative ROM, suggesting that the choice of liner constraint in two-stage revision can be left up to surgeon's discretion.

BACKGROUND:10 years after changing our institution's total hip arthroplasty (THA) preoperative antibiotic prophylactic protocol by adding gram-negative (GN) coverage, this study aimed to assess the impact of adding GN specific coverage (GNSC) prior to THA on periprosthetic joint infection (PJI) rates. METHODS:This was a retrospective case-control study of 14,598 patients who underwent primary, elective THA between July 2012 and January 2022, with minimum 1-year follow-up. All patients were under perioperative antibiotic protocol that included GNSC with either weight-based gentamicin or aztreonam (+GNSC) and were compared to a historical control group of patients for which the antibiotic prophylactic protocol did not include GNSC (-GNSC). PJI and nephrotoxicity rates, as well as the severity of nephrotoxicity according to the RIFLE criteria, were compared between the study populations and 4122 controls. RESULTS: = 0.567), which are the two more severe forms of nephrotoxicity, were comparable between the groups. CONCLUSIONS:The addition of gentamicin or aztreonam prior to THA reduces the incidence of GN-related PJIs. Increased nephrotoxicity rates were limited to the mildest form, usually associated with reversibility and favourable outcomes.

BACKGROUND:Despite advances in surgical techniques and postoperative prophylactic protocols, venous thromboembolism (VTE) events remain an important source of morbidity following total hip arthroplasty (THA). Prior research in cardiology and other surgical fields has suggested that statin medications may have a protective effect against VTE. Our study aimed to: 1) Assess if preoperative statin use was associated with decreased rates of VTE following THA, and 2) conduct a subgroup analysis of statin intensity and VTE events. METHODS:A total of 1,154 patients who had preoperative statin use for at least four weeks before surgery and who underwent primary THA at a large, urban academic center between January 1, 2012, and June 1, 2023, were identified. The 90-day postoperative VTE events, deep vein thrombosis (DVT), pulmonary embolism (PE), emergency department (ED) visits, reoperations, and readmission rates were collected from institutional coding software. Mortality rate in the 90-day postoperative period was also measured. Propensity matching was used to control for demographics and selected comorbidities. RESULTS:Preoperative statin use was associated with significantly lower rates of 90-day VTE events (Statin: 0.43% versus No-Statin: 1.13%, P = 0.047). There were no significant differences in 90-day PE, DVT, ED visit, readmission, or reoperation rates. There were no deaths within 90 days of THA in either group. Subgroup analysis of statin intensity revealed no significant differences in any outcomes measured between high-intensity, medium-intensity, and low-intensity statin groups. CONCLUSION/CONCLUSIONS:Preoperative statin use is associated with significantly lower rates of VTE events in the 90-day postoperative period following THA. Further research into the effect of statins on post-THA VTE is warranted.

BACKGROUND:The purpose of this study was to compare hospital quality and patient outcomes of hip arthroplasty for femoral neck fractures (FNFs) based on the subspecialty training of the treating surgeon: orthopaedic trauma (OT) versus adult reconstruction (AR) fellowship training. METHODS:A retrospective review was conducted on 1,008 elderly patients treated for an FNF with hemiarthroplasty or total hip arthroplasty between 2014 and 2024. Patients were grouped by their surgeon's subspecialty training (OT versus AR). Outcomes analyzed included length of stay, complications, 30-day and 90-day readmissions, dislocations, infections, and 30-day mortality. Statistical significance was set at P < 0.05. RESULTS:Baseline patient demographics were similar between groups, except for a higher proportion of women in the AR cohort (P = 0.008) and Black patients in the OT cohort (P = 0.016). Although age-unadjusted Charlson Comorbidity Index (CCI) was significantly higher in the AR group (P = 0.046), Score for Trauma Triage in the Geriatric and Middle Aged (STTGMA) scores, which take CCI and other health factors into account, were not significantly different (P = 0.59). In-hospital outcomes, including length of stay (P = 0.89) and minor and major complication rates (P = 0.38, P = 0.38), demonstrated no significant differences between groups. Post-discharge outcomes, including readmissions (30-day: P = 0.52, 90-day: P = 0.16), infections (P = 0.25), dislocations (P = 0.89), and 30-day mortality (P = 0.14), were also similar. CONCLUSION/CONCLUSIONS:No differences were identified in any of the outcomes analyzed between OT-trained and AR-trained surgeons in our study. This suggests that when FNFs are treated at high-volume academic institutions, subspecialty training may not substantially influence the short-term results of FNFs treated with hip arthroplasty. These findings highlight the importance of timely surgical intervention rather than waiting for a particularly trained surgeon to be available.