Faculty Bibliography

BACKGROUND:Though previous studies have demonstrated improved cost benefits associated with simultaneous versus staged bilateral total hip arthroplasty (simBTHA and staBTHA), further investigation is needed regarding the revenues and contribution margins (CMs) of these procedures. In this study, we compared revenue, CM, and surgical outcomes between simBTHA and staBTHA. METHODS:All patients who underwent simBTHA (both procedures completed the same day) and staBTHA (procedures completed on different days within one year) between 2011 and 2021 at a single high-volume orthopedic specialty hospital were identified. Of the 1,517 identified patients (n = 139 simBTHA, n = 1,378 staBTHA), 232 were included in a 1:1 propensity match based on baseline demographics (116 per cohort). Revenue, costs, CM, and surgical outcomes were compared between cohorts. RESULTS:Compared to staBTHA, simBTHA procedures had significantly lower total costs (P < .001), direct costs (P < .001), and patient revenue. There was no significant difference in CM between groups (P = .361). Additionally, there were no significant differences in length of stay (P = .173), operative time (P = .438), 90-day readmissions (P = .701), 90-day revisions (P = .313), or all-cause revisions (P = .701) between cohorts. CONCLUSIONS:Though simBTHA procedures have lower revenues than staBTHA, they also have lower costs, resulting in similar CM between procedures. As both procedures have similar postoperative complication rates, further research is required to evaluate specifically which patients may benefit from simBTHA versus staBTHA regarding clinical and patient-reported outcomes. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE/METHODS:III.

BACKGROUND:Concerns have been voiced regarding how surgical approach impacts risk of dislocation after total hip arthroplasty (THA). This study investigated how surgical approach impacts rate, direction, and timing of dislocations following THA. METHODS:We conducted a retrospective review of 13,335 primary THAs from 2011 to 2020 and identified 118 patients with prosthetic hip dislocation. Patients were stratified into cohorts by surgical approach used during primary THA. Patient demographics, index THA acetabular cup positioning, number, direction, timing of dislocations, and subsequent revisions were collected. RESULTS:Dislocation rate differed significantly between posterior approach (PA), direct anterior approach (DAA), and laterally-based approach (LA) (1.1 versus 0.7% versus 0.5%, P = .026). Rate of hips dislocating anteriorly was lowest in the PA group (19.2%) compared to LA (50.0%) and DAA groups (38.2%, P = .044). There was no difference in rate of hips dislocating posteriorly (P = .159) or multidirectional (P = .508) instability; notably 58.8% of dislocations in the DAA cohort occurred posteriorly. There were no differences in dislocation timing or revision rate. Acetabular anteversion was highest in the PA cohort compared to DAA and LA (21.5 versus 19.2 versus 11.7 degrees, P = .049). CONCLUSION:After THA, patients in the PA group had a slightly higher dislocation rate compared to the DAA and LA groups. The PA group had a lower rate of anterior dislocation and nearly 60% of DAA dislocations occurred posteriorly. However, with no differences in other parameters including revision rates or timing, our data suggests surgical approach may impact dislocation characteristics to a lesser degree than previous studies have suggested.

INTRODUCTION/BACKGROUND:The direct anterior approach (DAA) has become increasingly more popular for total hip arthroplasty (THA). Critics of the DAA maintain that a higher complication rate exists; however, data collection is prone to bias as the outcome is collected by the surgeons performing either an anterior or posterior approach (PA). This study aims to compare the short-term outcomes, including complication rates, in a Medicare population between THAs performed via DAA and PA. MATERIALS AND METHODS/METHODS:Baseline patient data was obtained from our institution's database for bundled payments, an unbiased collection source. A retrospective chart review was conducted on 492 Medicare patients who underwent primary THA between October 2016 and September 2017 to separate patients into DAA and PA cohorts. Descriptive patient characteristics along with surgical and clinical data were collected. Statistical tests for significance were based on either t-tests or chi-squared. To control for demographic variables, a multivariable regression analysis was conducted. RESULTS:Two hundred forty-one patients were included in the DAA cohort while 251 were included in the PA cohort. Surgical time (74.39 vs. 103.03 minutes; p < 0.001) and length-of-stay (1.29 vs. 2.74 days; p < 0.001) in patients who underwent the DAA was revealed to be statistically lower compared to the PA cohort. Patients in the DAA cohort were statistically more likely to be discharged to home health agencies (HHA) or self-care compared to those in the PA cohort (93.4% vs.74.5%; p < 0.001). There were no statistical differences in 90-day readmission rates or morphine milligram equivalents per day between both cohorts. CONCLUSION/CONCLUSIONS:The DAA to THA resulted in shorter surgical time, length-of-stay, and increased likelihood of discharge to HHA or self-care when compared with the PA. There were no differences in opioid consumption and complications leading to 90-day readmission.

BACKGROUND:Airborne biologic particles (ABPs) can be measured intraoperatively to evaluate operating room (OR) sterility. Our study examines the role of OR size on air quality and ABP count in primary total hip arthroplasty (THA). METHODS:at a single academic institution from April 2019 to June 2020. Temperature, humidity, and ABP count per minute were recorded with a particle counter intraoperatively and cross-referenced with surgical data from the electronic health records using procedure start and end times. Descriptive statistics were used to evaluate differences in variables. P-values were calculated using t-test and chi-squared test. RESULTS:A total of 116 primary THA cases were included: 18 (15.5%) in the "small" OR and 98 (84.5%) in the "large" OR. Between-group comparisons revealed significant differences in temperature (small OR: 20.3 ± 1.23 C versus large OR: 19.1 ± 0.85 C, P < .0001) and relative humidity (small OR: 41.1 ± 7.24 versus large OR: 46.9 ± 7.56, P < .001). Significant percent decreases in ABP rates for particles measuring 2.5 um (-125.0%, P = .0032), 5.0 um (-245.0%, P = .00078), and 10.0 um (-413.9%, P = .0021) were found in the large OR. Average time spent in the OR was significantly longer in the large OR (174 ± 33 minutes) compared to the small OR (151 ± 14 minutes) (P = .00083). CONCLUSION/CONCLUSIONS:Temperature and humidity differences and significantly lower ABP counts were found in the large compared to the small OR despite longer average time spent in the large OR, suggesting the filtration system encounters less particle burden in larger rooms. Further research is needed to determine the impact this may have on infection rates.

BACKGROUND:Different approaches for total hip arthroplasty (THA) may offer advantages in regard to achieving same-day-discharge (SDD) success. METHODS:We retrospectively identified patients aged ≥ 18 years who underwent elective primary THA from 2015 to 2020 who were formally enrolled in a single institution's SDD program. A total of 1,127 and 207 patients underwent THA via direct anterior approach and posterior approach, respectively, were included. Cohorts were assigned based on approach. The primary outcome was failure-to-launch, defined as hospital stay extending past 1 midnight. Secondary outcomes included Forgotten Joint Score-12, Hip Disability and Osteoarthritis Outcome Score for Joint Replacement, 90-day readmission and revision rate, and surgical time. Patient-reported outcomes were collected at 3 and 12 months. RESULTS:After controlling for demographic differences, posterior approach patients had higher rates of failure-to-launch (12.1% versus 5.9%, P = .002) and longer surgical times (99 versus 80 minutes; P < .001) compared to direct anterior approach patients. The cohorts had similar readmission (1.7% versus 1.4%; P = .64) and revision rates (1% versus 1%; P = .88). The magnitude of improvement in Hip Disability and Osteoarthritis Outcome Score for Joint Replacement scores from preoperative to 12 months was similar between cohorts (35.3 versus 34.5; P = .42). The differences in outcome scores between cohorts at each time point were not considered clinically significant. CONCLUSION/CONCLUSIONS:Our analysis suggests that patient selection and surgical approach may be important for achieving SDD. Surgical approach did not significantly impact readmission or revision rates nor did it have a meaningful impact on patient-reported outcomes in the first year after surgery.

INTRODUCTION/BACKGROUND:Femoral stem cementation provides excellent implant longevity with a low periprosthetic fracture rate among patients with compromised bone quality or abnormal anatomy. We radiologically evaluated the quality of the femoral cement mantle in patients undergoing THA to examine whether cementation quality improved with increased institutional experience. METHODS:A retrospective study of 542 primary elective THAs performed using cemented stems from 2016 to 2021 at a high-volume orthopedic specialty center was conducted. Immediate post-operative anterior-posterior (AP) and lateral radiographs were evaluated to assess cement mantle quality based on the Barrack classification. Cement mantles were deemed satisfactory (Barrack A and B) or unsatisfactory (Barrack C and D). Regression was performed to identify predictors of unsatisfactory cementation quality. RESULTS:The annual cemented primary THA volume increased throughout the study period from 14 cases in 2016 to 201 cases in 2021. Overall, the majority of cement mantles were deemed satisfactory; 91.7% on AP radiographs and 91.0% on lateral radiographs. Satisfactory cementation on AP radiograph achievement rates improved during the study period, which coincided with greater annual volume (p < 0.001). No association was found between posterior and direct anterior surgical approaches and satisfactory cementation quality on both AP and lateral radiographs. CONCLUSION/CONCLUSIONS:Majority of femoral stems had satisfactory cementation quality. Higher institutional annual cemented THA volume was associated with improved cementation quality. Residency and fellowship training programs should place greater emphasis on the importance of femoral stem cementation for appropriately indicated patients. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE/METHODS:III, retrospective cohort study.

INTRODUCTION/BACKGROUND:Removal of primary total knee arthroplasty (TKA) and primary total hip arthroplasty (THA) from the inpatient-only (IPO) list has financial implications for both patients and institutions. The aim of this study was to evaluate and compare financial parameters between patients designated for inpatient versus outpatient total joint arthroplasty (TJA) surgery. METHODS:We reviewed all patients who underwent TKA or THA after these procedures were removed from the IPO list. Patients were stratified into cohorts based on inpatient or outpatient status, procedure type, and insurance type. This included 5,284 patients, of which 4,279 were designated inpatient while 1,005 were designated outpatient. Patient demographic, perioperative, and financial data including per patient revenues, total and direct costs, and contribution margins (CMs) were collected. Data were compared using t-tests and Chi-square tests. RESULTS:Among Medicare patients receiving THA, CM was 89.1% lower for the inpatient cohort when compared to outpatient (p<0.001), though there was no significant difference between cohorts for TKA (p=0.501). Among patients covered by Medicaid or Government-managed plans, CM was 120.8% higher for inpatients receiving THA (p<0.001) when compared to outpatients and 136.3% higher for inpatients receiving TKA (p<0.001). CONCLUSION/CONCLUSIONS:Our analyses showed that recent costs associated with inpatient stay inconsistently match or outpace additional revenue, causing CM to vary drastically depending on insurance and procedure type. For Medicare patients receiving THA, inpatient surgery is financially disincentivized leaving this vulnerable patient population at risk of losing access to care.

BACKGROUND:Patients who undergo orthopedic procedures are often given excess opioid medication. Understanding the relationship between pain and opioid consumption following total hip arthroplasty (THA) is key to creating safe and effective opioid prescribing guidelines. AIM/OBJECTIVE:To evaluate the association between the quantity of opioid consumption in relation to pain scores both pre-and postoperatively in patients undergoing primary THA. METHODS:We retrospectively reviewed patients who underwent primary THA from November 2018-May 2019 and answered both the visual analog scale (VAS) pain and opioid medication questionnaires pre-and postoperatively. Both surveys were delivered daily for 7-days before surgery through the first 30 postoperative days. Survey results were divided into preoperative, postoperative days 1-7, postoperative days 8-14, and postoperative days 15-30 for analysis. Mean opioid pill consumption and VAS pain scores in each time period were determined and compared to patients' preoperative status using hierarchical Poisson and linear regressions, respectively. RESULTS:= 0.160) which correlates with a VAS pain score of 3.15. CONCLUSION/CONCLUSIONS:All patients experienced significant benefit and pain relief from having undergone THA. Average postoperative opioid consumption decreased below preoperative consumption between postoperative days 15-30, which was associated with a VAS pain score of 3.15. These results can be used to appropriately guide opioid prescribing practices and set patient expectations regarding pain management following THA.

INTRODUCTION/UNASSIGNED:The use of thin highly cross-linked polyethylene (HXLPE) liners in total hip arthroplasty (THA) allows utilisation of larger femoral heads. However, concern surrounding postoperative complications remains. This study aims to investigate rates of revision and re-admission associated with thin HXLPE liners at short-term follow-up. METHODS/UNASSIGNED: = 2027) received >5.1-mm liners with >52-mm size cups. Outcomes were compared using multi-variable logistic regressions while controlling for all significant demographic differences. RESULTS/UNASSIGNED: = 0.068). Liners were exchanged for liner wear in 1 hip (1%), aseptic reasons in 38 hips (66%), and peri-prosthetic joint infection in 19 hips (33%). CONCLUSIONS/UNASSIGNED:Patients undergoing THA with a thin liner were not significantly predisposed to higher rates of revision surgery or poorer clinical outcomes at short-term follow-up when compared to those who received a thicker liner. Consequently, further long-term studies regarding the utility of thin HXLPE implants in reducing complications should be pursued.