Nicole E. George

Decline in allogeneic blood transfusion usage in total hip arthroplasty patients: National Inpatient Sample 2009 to 2013

Introduction: Although total hip arthroplasty (THA) is an effective treatment for end-stage arthritis, it is also associated with substantial blood loss that may require allogeneic blood transfusion. However, these transfusions may increase the risk of certain complications. The purpose of our study is to evaluate: (i) the incidence/trends of allogeneic blood transfusion; (ii) the associated risk factors and adverse events; and (iii) the discharge disposition, length of stay (LOS), and costs for these patients between 2009 and 2013. Methods: The National Inpatient Sample database was used to identify 1,542,366 primary THAs performed between 2009 and 2013. Patients were stratified based on demographics, economic data, hospital characteristics, comorbidities, and whether or not allogeneic transfusion was received. Logistic regression was performed to evaluate the risk factors for transfusion and postoperative complications. Results: From 2009 to 2013, allogeneic transfusions were used in 16.9% of primary THAs, with a declining annual incidence. Except for obesity, all comorbidities were associated with increased likelihood of receiving a transfusion. Allogeneic transfusion patients were more likely to experience surgical site infections or pulmonary complications (p<0.001 for all). These patients were more likely to be discharged to a short-term care facility (p<0.001). Additionally, they had a greater mean LOS (p<0.001) and higher median hospital costs and charges when compared to their non-transfused counterparts. Conclusions: While the observed decline in allogeneic transfusion usage is encouraging, further efforts should focus on preoperative patient optimisation. Given the projected increase in demand for primary THAs, orthopaedic surgeons must be familiar with safe and effective blood conservation protocols.

Trends in Total Hip Arthroplasty Under the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act: A National Database Analysis Between 2008 and 2015

The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act expanded health coverage for low-earning individuals and families. With more Americans having access to care, the use of elective procedures, such as total hip arthroplasty (THA), was expected to increase. Therefore, the aim of this study was to evaluate trends in THA before and after the initiation of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act regarding race, age, body mass index, and sex between 2008 and 2015. The National Surgical Quality Improvement Program database was queried for all individuals who had undergone primary THA between 2008 and 2015. This yielded a total of 104,209 patients. Descriptive statistics were used to analyze patient-level data. A Cochran-Armitage test assessed trends in categorical data points over time. Analysis indicated an increased percentage of blacks or African Americans undergoing THA (7.8% vs 9.2%, P<.001), followed by Native Americans or Pacific Islanders (0.0% vs 0.4%, P<.001), American Indians or Alaskan Natives (0.3% vs 0.5%, P=.016), and Asians (1.4% vs 1.5%, P=.002). An increased percentage of patients 55 to 80 years old received THAs (68.6% vs 74.1%, P<.001). The percentage of patients with a body mass index of 25.0 to 29.9 kg/m2, 30.0 to 34.9 kg/m2, and 35.0 to 39.9 kg/m2 increased (32.9% vs 33.1%, 24.2% vs 25.6%, 12.6% vs 13.3%, respectively, P<.001 for all). These findings may provide insight on the changing patient characteristics for orthopedic surgeons performing THA. Furthermore, these findings may inform health policy makers interested in increasing access to procedures underutilized by specific patient populations and the creation of strategies to meet increased demand. [Orthopedics. 2018; 41(4):e534-e540.].

Global Budget Revenue on a Single Institution's Costs and Outcomes in Patients Undergoing Total Hip Arthroplasty

BACKGROUND The state of Maryland was granted a waiver by the Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services to implement a Global Budget Revenue (GBR) reimbursement model. This study aims to compare (1) costs of inpatient hospital stays; (2) postacute care costs; (3) lengths of stay (LOS); and (4) discharge disposition who underwent primary total hip arthroplasty at a single Maryland-based orthopedic institution before and after the implementation of GBR. METHODS The Maryland Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services database was queried to obtain all Medicare patients who underwent total hip arthroplasty at a single institution before and after the implementation of GBR. We compared the differences in costs for the following: inpatient care, the postacute care period, and readmissions. In addition, we evaluated differences in LOS, discharge disposition, and complication rates. RESULTS There was a significant decrease in inpatient costs (

Opiate Pain Medication Consumption in Cigarette Smokers following Total Hip Arthroplasty

26,575 vs

Use of new interactive patient-provider software improves patient satisfaction and outcomes—a retrospective single-center study

23,712), an increase in mean home health costs (

Risk Factors and Costs Associated With Clostridium difficile Colitis in Patients With Prosthetic Joint Infection Undergoing Revision Total Hip Arthroplasty

627 vs 1608), and a decrease in mean durable medical equipment costs (

A Prospective, Randomized Trial Comparing Liposomal Bupivacaine vs Fascia Iliaca Compartment Block for Postoperative Pain Control in Total Hip Arthroplasty

604 vs

Patients With Major Depressive Disorder Experience Increased Perception of Pain and Opioid Consumption Following Total Joint Arthroplasty

82) and LOS (2.92 days vs 2.33 days). There was an increase in discharge to home rates (72.3% vs 78.9%) and a decrease in discharge to acute rehabilitation (4.3% vs 1.8%) CONCLUSION: Under the GBR model, our institution experienced significant cost savings during the inpatient and postacute care episodes. Thus, GBR may serve as a viable solution to reducing costs to Medicare for high-volume arthroplasty institutions with a large Medicare population. Multicentered studies are needed to verify our results.

Opioids Consumed in the Immediate Post-Operative Period Does Not Influence How Patients Rate Their Experience of Care After Total Hip Arthroplasty

Purpose  The purpose of the present study was to assess perception of pain and pain management in smokers versus nonsmokers who received a total hip arthroplasty (THA). Methods  Patients who underwent THA from 2010 to 2016 were propensity score matched 1:1 based on race, body mass index, age, and sex. This yielded 124 smokers and 124 nonsmokers. Pain intensity was quantified using area under the curve for visual analog scale pain scores. Opioid consumption was determined using a morphine milliequivalent (mEq) conversion algorithm. An independent samples t -test and Chi-square analysis was conducted to assess continuous and categorical variables respectively. Results  Smokers experienced a nonsignificantly increased pain intensity (198.1 vs. 185.7; p  = 0.063). Smokers demonstrated significantly higher opioid consumption in both immediate postoperative (65.9 vs. 59.3 mEq; p  = 0.045) and 90 days postoperative periods (619.9 vs. 458.9 mEq; p  = 0.029). Conclusion  Our study demonstrated a nonsignificantly increased pain intensity, and (in both the immediate and 90 days postoperative periods) a significantly higher opioid consumption following THA in patients who smoke cigarettes. This may be due to a relatively small effect size, warranting the need for larger prospective studies. Nevertheless, arthroplasty surgeons should encourage preoperative smoking cessation and alternative nonopioid analgesics to smoking patients receiving THA. Level of Evidence  This is a level III, retrospective cohort study.

Articulating Spacers as a Modified One-Stage Revision Total Knee Arthroplasty: A Preliminary Analysis.

Background While a number of studies have explored patient- and provider-related factors contributing to quality of care, few studies have explored the role of technology in improving quality and optimizing patient-provider communication. This study explores the use of an interactive patient-provider software platform (IPSP) at a single institution. Specifically, we compared: (1) patient satisfaction scores, (2) complication rates, and (3) readmission rates before and after the use of an IPSP on patients undergoing total hip arthroplasty and total knee arthroplasty. Material and Methods A retrospective review was performed on all total hip arthroplasty and total knee arthroplasty patients who completed a Press Ganey survey at a single institution between the years 2014 and 2017. Primary outcomes included Press Ganey patient satisfaction scores and 90-day complication and readmission rates. Mann-Whitney U testing and chi-squared analyses were conducted to assess continuous and categorical variables, respectively. Results Analysis revealed an improvement in median Clinician and Group Consumer Assessment of Healthcare Providers and Systems (89 vs 97) and Hospital for Consumer Assessment of Healthcare Providers and Systems scores (9 vs 10; P < .001) between pre-IPSP and post-IPSP. There was a decrease in 90-day complication rates (17.3 vs 11.2%; P = .035) but no decrease in readmission rates (0.30 vs 0.18%, P = .322) between the 2 time points. Conclusions The use of an IPSP proved instrumental in improving patient satisfaction and lowering 90-day complication rates at a single institution. The implementation of an IPSP may prove beneficial to arthroplasty surgeons and health-care institutions alike seeking to optimize the quality of care. Larger multicenter studies are necessary to validate the results of the present study.