Dean C. Perfetti

The Impact of Hepatitis C on Short-Term Outcomes of Total Joint Arthroplasty.

BACKGROUND With recent advances in the treatment of infection with hepatitis C increasing lifespan and quality of life, the need for total joint arthroplasty in this patient population is expected to grow. Presently, there are limited and conflicting data on the perioperative outcomes of lower-extremity total joint arthroplasty among patients with hepatitis C. The purpose of our study was to assess the association between hepatitis C and perioperative outcomes of lower-extremity total joint arthroplasty. METHODS The Nationwide Inpatient Sample database was used to identify patients who underwent a total hip or knee arthroplasty in the United States from 1998 to 2010. Controls were matched in a three-to-one ratio to patients with hepatitis-C infection according to surgical procedure, age, race, sex, Deyo comorbidity score, and year of surgical procedure. Outcomes included perioperative complications (any, medical, surgical) and mean length of stay. RESULTS There were 1,700,400 total joint arthroplasties performed and recorded in the database during the study period, among which 8044 patients (0.47%) had a documented hepatitis-C infection. The frequency of hepatitis-C infection increased from 1.9 per 1000 total joint arthroplasties in 1998 to 5.9 per 1000 total joint arthroplasties in 2010 (slope = 0.47; r(2) = 0.93). Compared with matched controls, patients with hepatitis C had a 30% increased risk of any complication (95% confidence interval, 17% to 44%; p < 0.001), a 15% increased risk of a medical complication (95% confidence interval, 2% to 30%; p = 0.025), a 78% increased risk of a surgical complication (95% confidence interval, 49% to 112%; p < 0.001), and a mean length of stay that was 14% longer (95% confidence interval, 12% to 15%; p < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS Infection with hepatitis C is an infrequent but increasingly common comorbidity among patients undergoing total joint arthroplasty. Given these findings, orthopaedic surgeons should be aware of the increased risks of total joint arthroplasty in patients with hepatitis C and should discuss these risks with potential surgical candidates during a shared decision-making process.

Does Sickle Cell Disease Increase Risk of Adverse Outcomes Following Total Hip and Knee Arthroplasty? A Nationwide Database Study

Sickle cell disease (SCD) is associated with impaired vascular function and progressive vaso-occlusive injury to bones. We used the Nationwide Inpatient Sample to identify all THA and TKA admissions between 1998 and 2010. After controlling for patient age, gender, insurance, race, and comorbidities, the risk of complication among admissions with SCD was 152% higher (P<0.001) for THA and 137% higher (P=0.001) for TKA. Patients with SCD had a length of stay that was 42% longer (P<0.001) for THA and 20% longer for TKA (P<0.001), and hospital charges that were 19% higher (P<0.001) for THA and 16% higher (P=0.001) for TKA. Orthopedic surgeons should counsel potential THA and TKA candidates with SCD of these risks prior to admission.

Down Syndrome Increases the Risk of Short-Term Complications After Total Hip Arthroplasty.

BACKGROUND Down syndrome is the most common chromosomal abnormality and is associated with degenerative hip disease. Because of the recent increase in life expectancy for patients with this syndrome, orthopaedic surgeons are likely to see an increasing number of these patients who are candidates for total hip arthroplasty (THA). METHODS Using Nationwide Inpatient Sample (NIS) data from 1998 to 2010, we compared the short-term adverse outcomes of THA among 241 patients with Down syndrome and a matched 723-patient cohort. Specifically, we assessed: (1) incidence of THA; (2) perioperative medical and surgical complications during the primary hospitalization; (3) length of stay; and (4) hospital charges. RESULTS The annual mean number of patients with Down syndrome undergoing THA was 19. Compared to matched controls, Down syndrome patients had an increased risk of perioperative (OR, 4.33; P<.001), medical (OR, 4.59; P<.001) and surgical (OR, 3.51; P<.001) complications during the primary hospitalization. Down syndrome patients had significantly higher incidence rates of pneumonia (P=.001), urinary tract infection (P<.001), and wound hemorrhage (P=.027). The mean lengths of stay for Down syndrome patients were 26% longer (P<.001), but there were no differences in hospital charges (P=.599). CONCLUSION During the initial evaluation and pre-operative consultation for a patient with Down syndrome who is a candidate for THA, orthopaedic surgeons should educate the patient, family and their clinical decision makers about the increased risk of medical complications (pneumonia and urinary tract infections), surgical complications (wound hemorrhage), and lengths of stay compared to the general population.

Prosthetic Dislocation and Revision After Primary Total Hip Arthroplasty in Lumbar Fusion Patients: A Propensity Score Matched-Pair Analysis

BACKGROUND Lumbar-pelvic fusion reduces the variation in pelvic tilt in functional situations by reducing lumbar spine flexibility, which is thought to be important in maintaining stability of a total hip arthroplasty (THA). We compared dislocation and revision rates for patients with lumbar fusion and subsequent THA to a matched comparison cohort with hip and spine degenerative changes undergoing only THA. METHODS We identified patients in New York State who underwent primary elective lumbar fusion for degenerative disc disease pathology and subsequent THA between January 2005 and December 2012. A propensity score match was performed to compare 934 patients with prior lumbar fusion to 934 patients with only THA according to age, gender, race, Deyo comorbidity score, year of surgery, and surgeon volume. Revision and dislocation rates were assessed at 3, 6, and 12 months post-THA. RESULTS At 12 months, patients with prior lumbar fusion had significantly increased rates of THA dislocation (control: 0.4%; fusion: 3.0%; P < .001) and revision (control: 0.9%; fusion: 3.9%; P < .001). At 12 months, fusion patients were 7.19 times more likely to dislocate their THA (P < .001) and 4.64 times more likely to undergo revision (P < .001). CONCLUSION Patients undergoing lumbar fusion and subsequent THA have significantly higher risks of dislocation and revision of their hip arthroplasty than a matched cohort of patients with similar hip and spine pathology but only undergoing THA. During preoperative consultation for patients with prior lumbar fusion, orthopedic surgeons must educate the patient and family about the increased risk of dislocation and revision.

Does Chronic Corticosteroid Use Increase Risks of Readmission, Thromboembolism, and Revision After THA?

BackgroundSystemic corticosteroids are commonly used to treat autoimmune and inflammatory diseases, but they can be associated with various musculoskeletal problems and disorders. There currently is a limited amount of data describing the postoperative complications of THA associated specifically with chronic corticosteroid use.Questions/purposesFor chronic corticosteroid users undergoing THA, we asked: (1) What is the risk of hospital readmission at 30 and 90 days after surgery? (2) What is the risk of venous thromboembolism at 30 and 90 days after surgery? (3) What is the risk of revision hip arthroplasty at 12 and 24 months after surgery?MethodsWe identified patients in the Statewide Planning and Research Cooperative System who underwent primary THA between January 2003 and December 2010. This database provides hospital discharge abstracts for all admissions in the state of New York each year. We used propensity scores to three-to-one match the 402 chronic corticosteroid users with a comparison cohort of 1206 patients according to age, sex, race, comorbidity score, year of surgery, and hip osteonecrosis. The risk of each outcome was compared between chronic corticosteroid users and the matched cohort. Because multiple comparisons were made, we considered p less than 0.008 as statistically significant.ResultsReadmission was more common for corticosteroid users at 30 days (odds ratio [OR], 1.45; 95% CI, 1.14–1.85; p = 0.003) and 90 days (OR, 1.37; 95% CI, 1.09–1.73; p = 0.007). Venous thromboembolism was not more frequent in corticosteroid users at 30 days (OR, 2.39; 95% CI, 1.08–5.26; p = 0.031) or 90 days (OR, 1.91; 95% CI, 1.03–3.53; p = 0.039). Revision arthroplasty was more common in corticosteroid users at 12 months (OR, 2.49; 95% CI, 1.35–4.59; p = 0.004), but not 24 months (OR, 2.04; 95% CI, 1.19–3.50; p = 0.010).ConclusionsAfter THA, chronic corticosteroid use is associated with an increased risk of readmission at 30 and 90 days and revision hip arthroplasty at 12 months in corticosteroid users. Patients and providers should discuss these risks before surgery. Insurers should consider incorporating chronic corticosteroid use as a comorbidity in bundled payments for THA, since this patient population is more likely to return to their provider for care during the postoperative period.Level of EvidenceLevel III, therapeutic study.

Atrial Septal Defect Increases the Risk for Stroke After Total Hip Arthroplasty

BACKGROUND Atrial septal defect (ASD) and patent foramen ovale (PFO) are 2 of the most common congenital heart diseases in adults and pose important risks of perioperative acute ischemic stroke (AIS) from paradoxical emboli. We evaluated the following: (1) the prevalence of ASD/PFO in the total hip arthroplasty (THA) population; (2) the rate of perioperative AIS during index admissions; and (3) the risk for perioperative AIS after THA for patients with ASD/PFO vs matched controls. METHODS We identified 393,652 patients in the Nationwide Inpatient Sample who underwent THA between January 1, 2007, and December 31, 2013. The International Classification of Diseases, Ninth Revision, Clinical Modification diagnosis codes were used to identify patients with ASD/PFO and perioperative AIS. Propensity scores matched 252 patients with ASD/PFO to 756 controls (3:1 ratio) without ASD/PFO according to age, gender, race, Deyo comorbidity score, year of surgery, and stroke risk factors. Logistic regression models assessed risk for perioperative AIS. RESULTS The prevalence of ASD/PFO was 64 per 100,000 THA patients. The rate of perioperative AIS was 99 per 100,000 THA in the general THA population. The rate of perioperative AIS was 7.14% for ASD/PFO patients compared with 0.26% in matched controls (P < .001). Risk for perioperative AIS was 29 times greater for patients with ASD/PFO compared with matched controls (odds ratio, 29.00; 95% confidence interval, 6.68-125.89; P < .001). CONCLUSION Patients with ASD/PFO undergoing THA are at a significantly higher risk of perioperative AIS. Orthopedic surgeons should discuss this risk with patients before surgery. The efficacy of mechanical and pharmacologic thromboprophylactic measures to reduce perioperative AIS among ASD/PFO patients warrants further investigation.

Spine Injuries in Child Abuse.

Background: Although rare, spinal injuries associated with abuse can have potentially devastating implications in the pediatric population. We analyzed the association of pediatric spine injury in abused children and determined the anatomic level of the spine affected, while also focusing on patient demographics, length of stay, and total hospital charges compared with spine patients without a diagnosis of abuse. Methods: A retrospective review of the Kids’ Inpatient Database was conducted from 2000 to 2012 to identify pediatric patients (below 18 y) who sustained vertebral column fractures or spinal cord injuries. Patients with a documented diagnosis of abuse were identified using ICD-9-CM diagnosis codes. Our statistical models consisted of multivariate linear regressions that were adjusted for age, race, and sex. Results: There were 22,192 pediatric patients with a diagnosis of spinal cord or vertebral column injury during the study period, 116 (0.5%) of whom also had a documented diagnosis of abuse. The most common type of abuse was physical (75.9%). Compared with nonabused patients, abused patients were more likely to be below 2 years of age (OR=133.4; 95% CI, 89.5-198.8), female (OR=1.67; 95% CI, 1.16-2.41), and nonwhite (black: OR=3.86; 95% CI, 2.31-6.45; Hispanic: OR=2.86; 95% CI, 1.68-4.86; other: OR=2.33; 95% CI, 1.11-4.86). Abused patients also presented with an increased risk of thoracic (OR=2.57; 95% CI, 1.67-3.97) and lumbar (OR=1.67; 95% CI, 1.03-2.72) vertebral column fractures and had a multivariate-adjusted mean length of stay that was 62.2% longer (P<0.001) and mean total charges that were 52.9% higher (P<0.001) compared with nonabused patients. Furthermore, 19.7% of all pediatric spine patients under 2 years of age admitted during the study period belonged to the abused cohort. Conclusions: Spine injuries are rare but can be found in the pediatric population. With an additional documented diagnosis of abuse, these injuries affect younger patients in the thoracolumbar region of the spine, and lead to longer lengths of stay and higher hospital costs when compared with nonabused patients. Because of these findings, physicians should maintain a higher level of suspicion of abuse in patients with spine injuries, especially patients under 2 years of age. Level of Evidence: Level III evidence—a case-control study.

Is Day of Surgery Associated With Adverse Clinical and Economic Outcomes Following Primary Total Knee Arthroplasty

BACKGROUND As orthopedics transition to value-based purchasing, hospitals and providers are incentivized to identify inefficiencies of care delivery. In our experience, weekends are characterized by decreased staffing of ancillary services to coordinate patient discharges, which can lead to prolonged hospital stays for many of our primary total knee arthroplasty (TKA) admissions. METHODS We identified 115,053 patients who underwent primary TKA on a weekday between 2009 and 2013 in New York State. We used mixed effects regression models to compare length of stay (LOS), 90-day readmission, and cost according to the day of TKA. RESULTS Mean LOS was significantly higher for surgeries performed on Wednesday (P < .001), Thursday (P < .001), and Friday (P < .001). There was no significant difference in 90-day readmission risk according to day of surgery. Mean cost was significantly higher for surgeries performed on Wednesday (P < .001), Thursday (P < .001), and Friday (P < .001). When LOS was held constant across every day of the week, the mean cost of TKA decreased by

Have Periprosthetic Hip Infection Rates Plateaued

247 for Wednesday,

Is Orthopedic Department Teaching Status Associated With Adverse Outcomes Of Primary Total Hip Arthroplasty

627 for Thursday, and