Abstract This study investigates the association between preoperative hypoalbuminemia, a marker for malnutrition, and complications during the 30 days after total joint arthroplasty. Patients who ...underwent elective primary total hip and knee arthroplasty as part of the American College of Surgeons National Surgical Quality Improvement Program were identified. Outcomes were compared between patients with and without hypoalbuminemia (serum albumin concentration < 3.5 g/dL) with adjustment for patient and procedural factors. A total of 49 603 patients were included. In comparison to patients with normal albumin concentration, patients with hypoalbuminemia had a higher risk for surgical site infection, pneumonia, extended length of stay, and readmission. Future efforts should investigate methods of correcting nutritional deficiencies prior to total joint arthroplasty. If successful, such efforts could lead to improvements in short-term outcomes for patients.
Serum albumin level is the most well-established serum marker of malnutrition, with a serum albumin concentration <3.5 g/dL considered to be suggestive of malnutrition. The purpose of this study was ...to test if serum albumin level is associated with death, specific postoperative complications (e.g., pneumonia), length of hospital stay, and readmission following a surgical procedure for geriatric hip fracture.
A retrospective cohort study of geriatric patients (≥65 years of age) undergoing a hip fracture surgical procedure as part of the American College of Surgeons National Surgical Quality Improvement Program was conducted. Outcomes were compared between patients with and without hypoalbuminemia. All comparisons were adjusted for baseline and procedural differences between populations, and patients with missing serum albumin concentration were included in analyses using a missing data indicator.
There were 29,377 geriatric patients undergoing a hip fracture surgical procedure who met inclusion criteria; of these patients, 17,651 (60.1%) had serum albumin available for analysis. The prevalence of hypoalbuminemia was 45.9%. Following adjustment for baseline and procedural characteristics, the risk of death was inversely associated with serum albumin concentration as a continuous variable (adjusted relative risk, 0.59 95% confidence interval (CI), 0.53 to 0.65; p < 0.001). In comparison with patients with normal albumin concentration, patients with hypoalbuminemia had higher rates of death (9.94% compared with 5.53% adjusted relative risk, 1.52 (95% CI, 1.37 to 1.70); p < 0.001), sepsis (1.19% compared with 0.53% adjusted relative risk, 1.92 (95% CI, 1.36 to 2.72); p < 0.001), and unplanned intubation (2.64% compared with 1.47% adjusted relative risk, 1.51 (95% CI, 1.21 to 1.88); p < 0.001). The mean length of stay (and standard deviation) was longer among patients with hypoalbuminemia at 5.67 ± 4.68 days compared with those without hypoalbuminemia at 4.99 ± 3.95 days; the adjusted difference was 0.50 day (95% CI, 0.38 to 0.63 day; p < 0.001). However, the rate of readmission did not differ (p = 0.054) between patients with hypoalbuminemia (10.91%) and those without hypoalbuminemia (9.03%); the adjusted relative risk was 1.10 (95% CI, 1.00 to 1.21).
Hypoalbuminemia is a powerful independent risk factor for mortality following a surgical procedure for geriatric hip fracture. These data suggest that further investigation into postoperative nutritional supplementation is warranted to decrease the risk of complications.
Prognostic Level IV. See Instructions for Authors for a complete description of levels of evidence.
Abstract Background Periprosthetic joint infection (PJI) remains one of the most challenging and devastating modes of failure following total hip and knee arthroplasty. Despite the profound urgency ...and impact of PJI on an individual and societal basis, historically, there have not been standardized definitions of and diagnostic algorithms for infection following total joint arthroplasty. Methods In a recent symposium, the American Academy of Hip and Knee Surgeons (AAHKS) put forth a standardized approach to the prevention, diagnosis and management of the patient with a suspected PJI. Results This review article summarizes these findings, and reviews the algorithmic approach to diagnosis of periprosthetic joint infection. Conclusion The diagnosis of PJI is easily made in our experience in 90% of patients by getting an ESR and CRP followed by selective aspiration of the joint if these values are elevated or if the clinical suspicion is high. Synovial fluid obtained should be sent for a synovial fluid WBC count, differential and cultures.
Corrosion at the modular head-neck junction of the femoral component in total hip arthroplasty has been identified as a potential concern, although symptomatic adverse local tissue reactions ...secondary to corrosion have rarely been described.
We retrospectively reviewed the records of ten patients with a metal-on-polyethylene total hip prosthesis, from three different manufacturers, who underwent revision surgery for corrosion at the modular head-neck junction.
All patients presented with pain or swelling around the hip, and two patients presented with recurrent instability. Serum cobalt levels were elevated prior to the revision arthroplasty and were typically more elevated than were serum chromium levels. Surgical findings included large soft-tissue masses and surrounding tissue damage with visible corrosion at the femoral head-neck junction; the two patients who presented with instability had severe damage to the hip abductor musculature. Pathology specimens consistently demonstrated areas of tissue necrosis. The patients were treated with debridement and a femoral head and liner exchange, with use of a ceramic femoral head with a titanium sleeve in eight cases. The mean Harris hip score improved from 58.1 points preoperatively to 89.7 points at a mean of 13.0 months after the revision surgery (p=0.01). Repeat serum cobalt levels, measured in six patients at a mean of 8.0 months following revision, decreased to a mean of 1.61 ng/mL, and chromium levels were similar to prerevision levels. One patient with moderate hip abductor muscle necrosis developed recurrent instability after revision and required a second revision arthroplasty.
Adverse local tissue reactions can occur in patients with a metal-on-polyethylene bearing secondary to corrosion at the modular femoral head-neck taper, and their presentation is similar to the adverse local tissue reactions seen in patients with a metal-on-metal bearing. Elevated serum metal levels, particularly a differential elevation of serum cobalt levels with respect to chromium levels, can be helpful in establishing this diagnosis.
Despite the enormous success of total knee arthroplasty (TKA), chronic neuropathic pain can develop postoperatively and is both distressing and difficult to treat once established. We hypothesized ...that perioperative treatment with pregabalin, a chronic pain medication, would reduce the incidence of postsurgical neuropathic pain.
We performed a randomized, placebo-controlled, double-blind trial of pregabalin (300 mg) administered before TKA and for 14 days after TKA (150-50 mg twice daily). Patients were screened for the presence of neuropathic pain at 3 and 6 mo postoperatively using the Leeds Assessment of Neuropathic Symptoms and Signs scale. Secondary outcomes included postsurgical recovery and rehabilitation measures, including knee range of motion, opioid consumption, postoperative pain scores, sleep disturbance, and time to discharge as well as the occurrence of postoperative systemic complications.
Of the 240 patients randomly assigned to the 2 treatment groups (120 in each), data for the primary outcome were obtained from 113 pregabalin patients and 115 placebo patients. At both 3 and 6 mo postoperatively, the incidence of neuropathic pain was less frequent in the pregabalin group (0%) compared with the placebo group (8.7% and 5.2% at 3 and 6 mo, respectively; P = 0.001 and P = 0.014). Patients receiving pregabalin also consumed less epidural opioids (P = 0.003), required less oral opioid pain medication while hospitalized (P = 0.005), and had greater active flexion over the first 30 postoperative days (P = 0.013). There were no differences in the actual recorded duration of hospitalization between the 2 groups, although time to achieve hospital discharge criteria was longer for placebo patients, 69.0 +/- 16.0 h (mean +/- SD), than that of pregabalin patients, 60.2 +/- 15.8 h (P = 0.001). Sedation (P = 0.005) and confusion (P = 0.013) were more frequent on the day of surgery and postoperative day 1 in patients receiving pregabalin.
Perioperative pregabalin administration reduces the incidence of chronic neuropathic pain after TKA, with less opioid consumption and better range of motion during the first 30 days of rehabilitation. However, in the doses tested, it is associated with a higher risk of early postoperative sedation and confusion.
Discharge from the hospital on the day of (same-day) hip and knee arthroplasties has become more common; however, to our knowledge, few studies have compared morbidity between same-day and inpatient ...surgical procedures. The aims of this study were to compare matched cohorts of patients who underwent same-day and inpatient hip or knee arthroplasty in terms of postoperative complications and 30-day readmission rates.
Patients who underwent primary elective total hip arthroplasty, total knee arthroplasty, or unicompartmental knee arthroplasty from 2005 to 2014 were identified from the National Surgical Quality Improvement Program registry. Patients discharged the day of the surgical procedure were matched 1:1 with patients who had an inpatient stay using propensity scores. The rates of 30-day adverse events and readmission were compared between matched cohorts using the McNemar test. Risk factors for 30-day readmission following same-day procedures were identified using multivariate regression.
Of 177,818 patients identified, 1,236 (0.70%) underwent a same-day surgical procedure. After matching, there were no differences in overall adverse events or readmission between same-day and inpatient groups, although inpatients had increased thromboembolic events (p = 0.048) and same-day patients had an increased rate of return to the operating room (p = 0.016). When procedures were assessed individually, the only difference identified was that the same-day total knee arthroplasty cohort had an increased return to the operating room compared with the inpatient total knee arthroplasty cohort (p = 0.046). Body mass index of ≥35 kg/m (p = 0.035), insulin-dependent diabetes (p = 0.041), non-insulin-dependent diabetes (p = 0.013), and age of ≥85 years (p = 0.039) were associated with 30-day readmission following same-day surgical procedures. Infection was the most common reason for reoperation and readmission following same-day procedures.
No significant differences in overall postoperative complications or readmission were found between matched cohorts of patients who underwent same-day and inpatient hip and knee arthroplasties, although inpatients had a higher rate of thromboembolic events and same-day patients had a higher rate of reoperation. Patients with a body mass index of ≥35 kg/m, diabetes, and an age of ≥85 years had an increased risk of 30-day readmission following same-day procedures, which was most commonly due to infection.
Therapeutic Level III. See Instructions for Authors for a complete description of levels of evidence.
This guideline supersedes a prior one from 2007 on a similar topic. The work group evaluated the available literature concerning various aspects of patient screening, risk factor assessment, and ...prophylactic treatment against venous thromboembolic disease (VTED), as well as the use of postoperative mobilization, neuraxial agents, and vena cava filters. The group recommended further assessment of patients who have had a previous venous thromboembolism but not for other potential risk factors. Patients should be assessed for known bleeding disorders, such as hemophilia, and for the presence of active liver disease. Patients who are not at elevated risk of VTED or for bleeding should receive pharmacologic prophylaxis and mechanical compressive devices for the prevention of VTED. The group did not recommend specific pharmacologic agents and/or mechanical devices. The work group recommends, by consensus opinion, early mobilization for patients following elective hip and knee arthroplasty. The use of neuraxial anesthesia can help limit blood loss but was not found to affect the occurrence of VTED. No clear evidence was established regarding whether inferior vena cava filters can prevent pulmonary embolism in patients who have a contraindication to chemoprophylaxis and/or known VTED.
Abstract We reviewed 27 patients who underwent revision for an adverse local tissue reaction (ALTR) secondary to corrosion at the head-neck junction with MoP bearings. Serum cobalt and chromium ...levels were elevated in all cases, with a mean cobalt of 11.2 ppb and chromium of 2.2 ppb. Patients underwent modular bearing exchange, including a ceramic head with a titanium sleeve in 23 of 27 cases with only one recurrence of ALTR in one of the four patients not treated with a ceramic head. The diagnosis of ALTR secondary to corrosion is associated with cobalt levels of >1 ppb with cobalt levels elevated above chromium. Retention of a well-fixed stem and modular exchange to a ceramic head leads to resolution of symptoms and decreases in metal levels.
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