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Objective: Class III obesity (body mass index >40 kg/m2) is associated with higher complications following total knee replacement (TKR), and weight loss is recommended. We aimed to establish the cost‐effectiveness of Roux‐en‐Y gastric bypass (RYGB), laparoscopic sleeve gastrectomy (LSG), and lifestyle nonsurgical weight loss (LNSWL) interventions in knee osteoarthritis patients with class III obesity considering TKR. Methods: Using the Osteoarthritis Policy model and data from published literature to derive model inputs for RYGB, LSG, LNSWL, and TKR, we assessed the long‐term clinical benefits, costs, and cost‐effectiveness of weight‐loss interventions for patients with class III obesity considering TKR. We assessed the following strategies with a health care sector perspective: 1) no weight loss/no TKR, 2) immediate TKR, 3) LNSWL, 4) LSG, and 5) RYGB. Each weight‐loss strategy was followed by annual TKR reevaluation. Primary outcomes were cost, quality‐adjusted life expectancy (QALE), and incremental cost‐effectiveness ratios (ICERs), discounted at 3% per year. We conducted deterministic and probabilistic sensitivity analyses to examine the robustness of conclusions to input uncertainty. Results: LSG increased QALE by 1.64 quality‐adjusted life‐years (QALYs) and lifetime medical costs by $17,347 compared to no intervention, leading to an ICER of $10,600/QALY. RYGB increased QALE by 0.22 and costs by $4,607 beyond LSG, resulting in an ICER of $20,500/QALY. Relative to immediate TKR, LSG and RYGB delayed and decreased TKR utilization. In the probabilistic sensitivity analysis, RYGB was cost‐effective in 67% of iterations at a willingness‐to‐pay threshold of $50,000/QALY. Conclusion: For patients with class III obesity considering TKR, RYGB provides good value while immediate TKR without weight loss is not economically efficient. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: Class III obesity (body mass index [BMI] ≥40 kg/m2) is associated with worse knee pain and total knee replacement (TKR) outcomes. Because bariatric surgery yields sustainable weight loss for individuals with BMI ≥40 kg/m2, our objective was to establish the value of Roux‐en‐Y gastric bypass (RYGB) and laparoscopic sleeve gastrectomy (LSG) in conjunction with usual care for knee osteoarthritis (OA) patients with BMI ≥40 kg/m2. Methods: We used the Osteoarthritis Policy model to assess long‐term clinical benefits, costs, and cost‐effectiveness of RYGB and LSG. We derived model inputs for efficacy, costs, and complications associated with these treatments from published data. Primary outcomes included quality‐adjusted life‐years (QALYs), lifetime costs, and incremental cost‐effectiveness ratios (ICERs), all discounted at 3%/year. This analysis was conducted from a health care sector perspective. We performed sensitivity analyses to evaluate uncertainty in input parameters. Results: The usual care + RYGB strategy increased the quality‐adjusted life expectancy by 1.35 years and lifetime costs by $7,209, compared to usual care alone (ICER = $5,300/QALY). The usual care + LSG strategy yielded less benefit than usual care + RYGB and was dominated. Relative to usual care alone, both usual care + RYGB and usual care + LSG reduced opioid use from 13% to 4%, and increased TKR usage from 30% to 50% and 41%, respectively. For cohorts with BMI between 38 and 41 kg/m2, usual care + LSG dominated usual care + RYGB. In the probabilistic sensitivity analysis, at a willingness‐to‐pay threshold of $50,000/QALY, usual care + RYGB and usual care + LSG were cost‐effective in 70% and 30% of iterations, respectively. Conclusion: RYGB offers good value among knee OA patients with BMI ≥40 kg/m2, while LSG may provide good value among those with BMI between 35 and 41 kg/m2. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: Although most total knee replacement (TKR) recipients report less pain and improved function after TKR, many remain sedentary. We aimed to understand TKR recipients' motivations for undergoing TKR, perceptions of and goals related to physical activity, and the role, if any, that activity monitors might play in their recovery. Methods: We conducted a qualitative study, individually interviewing 27 participants who had recently undergone or were about to undergo TKR. We conducted a thematic analysis to better understand participants' views of the benefits and barriers to physical activity after TKR. Results: We identified nine themes and one subtheme that identify patients' initial motivations for undergoing TKR and may help TKR recipients achieve increased activity levels and a perceived successful recovery. Some key messages that emerged from our work include the following: exercise is necessary for physical and mental health, pain and functional limitation interfere with daily life, tracking steps motivates individuals to increase activity levels, and different incentives (for engaging in physical exercise and using an activity monitor) are effective for different individuals. Conclusion: Participants recognized the health benefits of physical activity, and many believed activity monitor use would help them become more active after surgery. Both external and internal factors played a role in motivating individuals to become more active and wear activity monitors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: To examine impact of pre‐existing and incident problematic musculoskeletal (MSK) areas after total knee replacement (TKR) on postoperative 60‐month Western Ontario and McMaster Universities Osteoarthritis Index (WOMAC) pain/function scores. Methods: Using data from a randomized controlled trial of subjects undergoing TKR for osteoarthritis, we assessed problematic MSK areas in six body regions before TKR and 12, 24, 36, and 48 months after TKR. We defined the following two variables: 1) density count (number of problematic MSK areas occurring after TKR; range 0‐24) and 2) cumulative density count (problematic MSK areas both before and after TKR, categorized into four levels: no preoperative areas and density count of 0‐1 [reference group]; no preoperative areas and density count of 2 or more; one or more preoperative areas and density count of 0‐1; and one or more preoperative areas and density count of 2 or greater). We evaluated the associations between categorized 60‐month WOMAC and cumulative density count by ordinal logistic regression. Results: Among 230 subjects, 24% reported one or more preoperative problematic MSK area. After TKR, 75% reported a density count of 0 to 1; 25% reported a density count of 2 or more. Compared with the reference group, each cumulative density count category was associated with an increased odds of having a higher category of 60‐month WOMAC pain score, as follows: 2.97 (95% confidence interval [CI], 1.48‐5.98) for no preoperative problematic areas and density count of 2 or greater, 3.31 (95% CI, 1.64‐6.66) for one or more preoperative problematic areas and density count of 0 to 1, and 2.85 (95% CI, 0.97‐8.39) for one or more preoperative problematic areas and density count of 2 or greater. Similar associations were observed with 60‐month WOMAC function score. Conclusion: In TKR recipients, the presence of problematic musculoskeletal areas beyond the index knee—preoperatively and/or postoperatively—was associated with worse 60‐month WOMAC pain/function score. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Total knee replacement (TKR) is an effective and cost-effective strategy for treating end-stage knee osteoarthritis. Greater risk for complications among TKR recipients with a body mass index (BMI) of 40 kg/m2 or greater has raised concerns about the value of TKR in this population.Objective: To assess the value of TKR in recipients with a BMI of 40 kg/m2 or greater using a cost-effectiveness analysis.Design: Osteoarthritis Policy Model to assess long-term clinical benefits, costs, and cost-effectiveness of TKR in patients with a BMI of 40 kg/m2 or greater.Data Sources: Total knee replacement parameters from longitudinal studies and published literature, and costs from Medicare Physician Fee Schedules, the Healthcare Cost and Utilization Project, and published data.Target Population: Recipients of TKR with a BMI of 40 kg/m2 or greater in the United States.Time Horizon: Lifetime.Perspective: Health care sector.Intervention: Total knee replacement.Outcome Measures: Cost, quality-adjusted life-years (QALYs), and incremental cost-effectiveness ratios (ICERs), discounted at 3% annually.Results Of Base-case Analysis: Total knee replacement increased QALYs by 0.71 year and lifetime medical costs by $25 200 among patients aged 50 to 65 years with a BMI of 40 kg/m2 or greater, resulting in an ICER of $35 200. Total knee replacement in patients older than 65 years with a BMI of 40 kg/m2 or greater increased QALYs by 0.39 year and costs by $21 100, resulting in an ICER of $54 100.Results Of Sensitivity Analysis: In TKR recipients with a BMI of 40 kg/m2 or greater and diabetes and cardiovascular disease, ICERs were below $75 000 per QALY. Results were most sensitive to complication rates and preoperative pain levels. In the probabilistic sensitivity analysis, at a $55 000-per-QALY willingness-to-pay threshold, TKR had a 100% and 90% likelihood of being a cost-effective strategy for patients aged 50 to 65 years and patients older than 65 years, respectively.Limitation: Data are derived from several sources.Conclusion: From a cost-effectiveness perspective, TKR offers good value in patients with a BMI of 40 kg/m2 or greater, including those with multiple comorbidities.Primary Funding Source: National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases of the National Institutes of Health. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: Pain catastrophizing and widespread pain are predictors of pain chronicity/severity. Gaps remain in our understanding of the extent to which each is a stable (trait) or dynamic (state) variable. We undertook this study to assess the stability of each variable from before to after total knee replacement (TKR) and whether changes are explained by pain improvements.Methods: We used data from a prospective study of TKR recipients ages ≥40 years. Questionnaires included body pain diagrams assessing widespread pain, the Pain Catastrophizing Scale (PCS), and the Western Ontario and McMaster Universities Osteoarthritis Index (WOMAC) pain subscale. We divided subjects into widespread pain groups (0 versus 1-2 versus ≥3 pain regions) and into low and high PCS score groups (<16 versus ≥16). We assessed changes in group membership from pre-TKR to 12 months post-TKR, then compared these changes between subjects with most and least WOMAC pain improvement.Results: A total of 176 subjects completed scales at both time points; 64% were female, the mean age was 66 years, and baseline median WOMAC pain score was 40. In all, 71% of subjects in the high PCS score group improved to join the low PCS score group at follow-up. While 73 subjects (41%) changed widespread pain group, they were similarly likely to worsen and to improve. We found a statistically significant positive association of improvement in WOMAC pain score with improvement in PCS score (r = 0.31), but not widespread pain (r = -0.004).Conclusion: The PCS score reflects state-like aspects of catastrophizing that diminish along with pain. In contrast, widespread pain scores worsened and improved equally often, regardless of knee pain relief. The findings urge caution in interpreting PCS score and widespread pain as trait measures in musculoskeletal research. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: To determine the 5‐year outcome of treatment for meniscal tear in osteoarthritis. Methods: We examined 5‐year follow‐up data from the Meniscal Tear in Osteoarthritis Research trial (METEOR) of physical therapy versus arthroscopic partial meniscectomy. We performed primary intent‐to‐treat (ITT) and secondary as‐treated analyses. The primary outcome measure was the Knee Injury and Osteoarthritis Outcome Score (KOOS) pain scale; total knee replacement (TKR) was a secondary outcome measure. We used piecewise linear mixed models to describe change in KOOS pain. We calculated 5‐year cumulative TKR incidence and used a Cox model to estimate hazard ratios (HRs) for TKR, with 95% confidence intervals (95% CIs). Results: Three hundred fifty‐one participants were randomized. In the ITT analysis, the KOOS pain scores were ~46 (scale of 0 [no pain] to 100 [most pain]) at baseline in both groups. Pain scores improved substantially in both groups over the first 3 months, continued to improve through the next 24 months (to ~18 in each group), and were stable at 24–60 months. Results of the as‐treated analyses of the KOOS pain score were similar. Twenty‐five participants (7.1% [95% CI 4.4–9.8%]) underwent TKR over 5 years. In the ITT model, the HR for TKR was 2.0 (95% CI 0.8–4.9) for subjects randomized to the arthroscopic partial meniscectomy group, compared to those randomized to the physical therapy group. In the as‐treated analysis, the HR for TKR was 4.9 (95% CI 1.1–20.9) for subjects ultimately treated with arthroscopic partial meniscectomy, compared to those treated nonoperatively. Conclusion: Pain improved considerably in both groups over 60 months. While ITT analysis revealed no statistically significant differences following TKR, greater frequency of TKR in those undergoing arthroscopic partial meniscectomy merits further study. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The state of Massachusetts enacted universal health insurance in 2006. However it is unknown whether the increased access to care resulted in changes to surgical use or costs.Questions/purposes: We asked the following related research questions: compared with the United States as a whole, how did the (1) number of cases (as a percentage of the overall population, to account for changes in the overall population during the time surveyed), (2) payer mix, and (3) inpatient costs for arthroplasty change in Massachusetts after introduction of health insurance reform?Methods: We analyzed the use and cost of primary THAs and TKAs in Massachusetts using the State Inpatient Database (SID) between 2002 and 2011 compared with the Nationwide Inpatient Sample (NIS) during the same years. The SID captures 100% of inpatient procedures in Massachusetts, while the NIS is a nationally representative database of inpatient procedures for the United States. The SID and NIS are publicly available data sources from the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality, and include information regarding procedure volumes, payer mixes, and costs. Inpatient costs were defined similarly in both databases by using hospital charges and an average cost-to-charge ratio that is unique for each hospital. The incidence of arthroplasties was calculated by dividing the procedure volume by the relevant population (either for Massachusetts or the entire country) based on public data from the United States Census bureau.Results: The incidence of THAs and TKAs performed in Massachusetts increased steadily throughout the study period, and paralleled a similar increase in the United States as a whole. In Massachusetts, the incidence of THAs increased by 59% between 2002 and 2011, and the incidence of TKAs likewise increased by 80%. The trends for the incidence in total joint arthroplasties were similar to those for Massachusetts for the United States as a whole. The period of health insurance reform in Massachusetts was associated with a greater proportion of patients covered by Medicaid, Commonwealth Care, or Health Safety Net for THAs and TKAs. By 2011, universal health insurance in Massachusetts covered 2.45% of primary THAs and 2.77% of primary TKAs. Coverage for Medicaid in Massachusetts increased from 3.23% and 3.04% of THAs and TKAs in 2002 to 4.06% and 4.34% respectively in 2011. On average, Medicaid coverage was greater for TKAs in Massachusetts than across the United States during the study period. The introduction of health insurance reform had a minimal effect on the cost of total joint arthroplasties in Massachusetts. Although the costs of total joint arthroplasties in the United States were higher than those in Massachusetts, this difference narrowed substantially from 2002 to 2011, with the Massachusetts cost trending upward and the overall United States cost trending downward.Conclusions: Despite extending insurance coverage to the entire state of Massachusetts, there was little change in actual utilization trends for joint replacement.Clinical Relevance: The enactment of universal health insurance coverage in Massachusetts appears to have been a nonevent insofar as the use and cost of total hip and knee surgeries is concerned in the state. Factors other than health insurance reform appear to be driving the growth in demand for arthroplasties in Massachusetts and are likely to do so as well in the United States under the Affordable Care Act of 2010. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Greater levels of self-reported pain, pain catastrophizing, and depression have been shown to be associated with persistent pain and functional limitation after surgeries such as TKA. It would be useful for clinicians to be able to measure these factors efficiently.Questions/purposes: We asked: (1) What is the association of whole-body pain with osteoarthritis (OA)-related knee pain, function, pain catastrophizing, and mental health? (2) What is the sensitivity and specificity for different cutoffs for body pain diagram region categories in relation to pain catastrophizing?Methods: Patients (n = 267) with knee OA undergoing elective TKA at one academic center and two community orthopaedic centers were enrolled before surgery in a prospective cohort study. Questionnaires included the WOMAC Pain and Function Scales, Pain Catastrophizing Scale (PCS), Mental Health Inventory-5 (MHI-5), and a pain body diagram. The diagram documents pain in 19 anatomic areas. Based on the distribution of the anatomic areas, we established six different body regions. Our analyses excluded the index (surgically treated) knee. Linear regression was used to evaluate the association between the total number of nonindex painful sites on the whole-body pain diagram and measures of OA-related pain and function, mental health, and pain catastrophizing. Generalized linear regression was used to evaluate the association between the number of painful nonindex body regions (categorized as 0; 1-2; or 3-6) with our measures of interest. All models were adjusted for age, sex, and number of comorbid conditions. The cohort included 63% females and the mean age was 66 years (SD, 9 years). With removal of the index knee, the median pain diagram score was 2 (25(th), 75(th) percentiles, 1, 4) with a range of 0 to 15. The median number of painful body regions was 2 (25(th), 75(th) percentiles, 1, 3).Results: After adjusting for age, sex, and number of comorbid conditions, we found modest associations between painful body region categories and mean scores for WOMAC physical function (r = 0.22, p < 0.001), WOMAC pain (r = 0.20, p = 0.001), MHI-5 (r = -0.31, p < 0.001), and PCS (r = 0.27, p < 0.001). A nonindex body pain region score greater than 0 had 100% (95% CI, 75%-100%) sensitivity for a pain catastrophizing score greater than 30 but a specificity of just 23% (95% CI, 18%-29%) . A score of 3 or greater had greater specificity (73%; 95% CI, 66%-79%) but lower sensitivity (53%; 95% CI, 27%-78%).Conclusions: We found modest associations between the number of painful sites on a whole-body pain diagram and the number of painful body regions and measures of OA-related pain, function, pain catastrophizing, and mental health. Patients with higher self-reported body pain region scores might benefit from further evaluation for depression and pain catastrophizing.Level Of Evidence: Level III, therapeutic study. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Medical missions to low and middle-income countries are increasingly frequent, with an estimated 6,000 trips sponsored by U.S. organizations accounting for approximately 200,000 surgical cases and $250 million in costs annually. However, these missions have received little critical evaluation. This paper describes the research program Operation Walk (Op-Walk) Boston, and proposes an evaluation model for similar surgical missions.Methods: We propose an evaluation model, borrowing from the work of Donabedian and enriched by evidence from our research program. The model calls for evaluation of the salient contextual factors (culture and beliefs), system management (structure, process, and outcomes), and sustainability of the program's interventions. We used these domains to present findings from the quantitative and qualitative research work of Op-Walk Boston.Results: Op-Walk's qualitative research findings demonstrated that cultural factors are important determinants of patients' perceptions of arthritis etiology, physical activity patterns, and treatment preferences. Quantitative assessments documented that Dominican patients had worse lower-extremity functional status (mean Western Ontario and McMaster Universities Osteoarthritis Index [WOMAC] function score of 33.6) and pain preoperatively than patients undergoing total hip or knee replacement in the U.S. (WOMAC function score of 43.3 to 54), yet they achieved excellent outcomes (50-point improvement), comparable to those of their U.S. counterparts. Assessments of the quality and sustainability of the Op-Walk program showed that the quality of care provided by Op-Walk Boston meets Blue Cross Blue Shield Centers of Excellence (Blue Distinction) criteria, and that sustainable changes were transferred to the host hospital.Conclusions: Our proposed model offers a method for formal assessment of medical missions that addresses the call for evidence of their merit. We suggest that surgical missions adopt quantitative and qualitative strategies to document their impact, identify areas of improvement, and justify program continuation, growth, and support. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: While obesity may be a risk factor for complications following total knee arthroplasty, data remain sparse on the impact of the degree of obesity on patient-reported outcomes following this procedure. Our objective was to determine the extent to which obesity level affects the trajectory of recovery as well as patient-reported pain, function, and satisfaction with surgery following total knee arthroplasty.Methods: We followed a cohort of patients who underwent total knee arthroplasty at 1 of 4 medical centers. Patients were ≥40 years of age with a primary diagnosis of osteoarthritis. We stratified patients into 5 groups according to the World Health Organization classification of body mass index (BMI). We assessed the association between BMI group and pain and function over the time intervals of 0 to 3, 3 to 6, and 6 to 24 months using a piecewise linear model. We also assessed the association between BMI group and patient-reported outcomes at 24 months. Multivariable models adjusted for age, sex, race, diabetes, musculoskeletal functional limitations index, pain medication use, and study site.Results: Of the 633 participants included in our analysis, 19% were normal weight (BMI of <25 kg/m), 32% were overweight (BMI of 25 to 29.9 kg/m), 27% were class-I obese (BMI of 30 to 34.9 kg/m), 12% were class-II obese (BMI of 35 to 39.9 kg/m), and 9% were class-III obese (BMI of ≥40 kg/m). Study participants with a higher BMI had worse preoperative WOMAC (Western Ontario and McMaster Universities Osteoarthritis Index) pain and function scores and had greater improvement from baseline to 3 months. The mean change in pain and function from 3 to 6 and from 6 to 24 months was similar across all BMI groups. At 24 months, participants in all BMI groups had similar levels of pain, function, and satisfaction.Conclusions: Because of the differential trajectory of recovery in the first 3 months following total knee arthroplasty, the participants in the higher BMI groups were able to attain absolute pain and function scores similar to those in the nonobese and class-I obese groups. These data can help surgeons discuss expectations of pain relief and functional improvement with total knee arthroplasty candidates with higher BMI.Level Of Evidence: Prognostic Level III. See Instructions for Authors for a complete description of levels of evidence. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Arthroscopic surgery is a common treatment for knee osteoarthritis (OA), particularly for symptomatic meniscal tear. Many patients with knee OA who have arthroscopies go on to have total knee arthroplasty (TKA). Several individual studies have investigated the interval between knee arthroscopy and TKA. Our objective was to summarize published literature on the risk of TKA following knee arthroscopy, the duration between arthroscopy and TKA, and risk factors for TKA following knee arthroscopy.Methods: We searched PubMed, Embase, and Web of Science for English language manuscripts reporting TKA following arthroscopy for knee OA. We identified 511 manuscripts, of which 20 met the inclusion criteria and were used for analysis. We compared the cumulative incidence of TKA following arthroscopy in each study arm, stratifying by type of data source (registry vs. clinical), and whether the study was limited to older patients (≥ 50) or those with more severe radiographic OA. We estimated cumulative incidence of TKA following arthroscopy by dividing the number of TKAs among persons who underwent arthroscopy by the number of persons who underwent arthroscopy. Annual incidence was calculated by dividing cumulative incidence by the mean years of follow-up.Results: Overall, the annual incidence of TKA after arthroscopic surgery for OA was 2.62% (95% CI 1.73-3.51%). We calculated the annual incidence of TKA following arthroscopy in four separate groups defined by data source (registry vs. clinical cohort) and whether the sample was selected for disease progression (either age or OA severity). In unselected registry studies the annual TKA incidence was 1.99% (95% CI 1.03-2.96%), compared to 3.89% (95% CI 0.69-7.09%) in registry studies of older patients. In unselected clinical cohorts the annual incidence was 2.02% (95% CI 0.67-3.36%), while in clinical cohorts with more severe OA the annual incidence was 4.13% (95% CI 1.81-6.44%). The mean and median duration between arthroscopy and TKA (years) were 3.4 and 2.0 years.Conclusions: Clinicians and patients considering knee arthroscopy should discuss the likelihood of subsequent TKA as they weigh risks and benefits of surgery. Patients who are older or have more severe OA are at particularly high risk of TKA. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: There is growing concern about the use of opioids prior to total knee arthroplasty (TKA), and research has suggested that preoperative opioid use may lead to worse pain outcomes following surgery. We evaluated the pain relief achieved by TKA in patients who had and those who had not used opioids use before the procedure.Methods: We augmented data from a prospective cohort study of TKA outcomes with opioid-use data abstracted from medical records. We collected patient-reported outcomes and demographic data before and 6 months after TKA. We used the Pain Catastrophizing Scale and the Western Ontario and McMaster Universities Osteoarthritis Index (WOMAC) to quantify the pain experiences of patients treated with TKA who had had a baseline score of ≥20 on the WOMAC pain scale (a 0 to 100-point scale, with 100 being the worst score), who provided follow-up data, and who had not had another surgical procedure within the 2 years prior to TKA. We built a propensity score for preoperative opioid use based on the Pain Catastrophizing Scale score, comorbidities, and baseline pain. We used a general linear model, adjusting for the propensity score and baseline pain, to compare the change in the WOMAC pain score 6 months after TKA between persons who had and those who had not used opioids before TKA.Results: The cohort included 156 patients with a mean age of 65.7 years (standard deviation [SD] = 8.2 years) and a mean body mass index (BMI) of 31.1 kg/m (SD = 6.1 kg/m); 62.2% were female. Preoperatively, 36 patients (23%) had had at least 1 opioid prescription. The mean baseline WOMAC pain score was 43.0 points (SD = 12.8) for the group that had not used opioids before TKA and 46.9 points (SD = 15.7) for those who had used opioids (p = 0.12). The mean preoperative Pain Catastrophizing Scale score was greater among opioid users (15.5 compared with 10.7 points among non-users, p = 0.006). Adjusted analyses showed that the opioid group had a mean 6-month reduction in the WOMAC pain score of 27.0 points (95% confidence interval [CI] = 22.7 to 31.3) compared with 33.6 points (95% CI = 31.4 to 35.9) in the non-opioid group (p = 0.008).Conclusions: Patients who used opioids prior to TKA obtained less pain relief from the operation. Clinicians should consider limiting pre-TKA opioid prescriptions to optimize the benefits of TKA.Level Of Evidence: Therapeutic Level III. See Instructions for Authors for a complete description of levels of evidence. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Total knee arthroplasty and total hip arthroplasty are 2 of the most commonly performed elective orthopaedic procedures. They are remarkably successful in relieving pain and improving function in individuals with advanced, symptomatic arthritis. Since, in addition to providing benefits, these procedures pose risks, it is important to provide clinicians with guidance in determining which patients should undergo total joint replacement surgery. The development of the RAND approach in 1986 and its application to total hip and knee replacement have enabled clinicians, payers, and others to assess the appropriateness of past and current procedures for particular patients. However, current appropriateness criteria for elective orthopaedic procedures have important limitations that suggest that they be used cautiously. New approaches to the assessment of appropriateness that overcome many of these limitations are under development. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Historically, persons scheduled for total knee arthroplasty (TKA) have reported severe pain with low demand activities such as walking, but recent data suggests that TKA recipients may have less preoperative pain. Little is known about people who elect TKA with low levels of preoperative pain. To better understand current TKA utilization, we evaluated the association between preoperative pain and difficulty performing high demand activities, such as kneeling and squatting, among TKA recipients.Methods: We used baseline data from a randomized control trial designed to improve physical activity following TKA. Prior to TKA, participants were categorized according to Western Ontario and McMaster Universities Osteoarthritis Index (WOMAC) Pain scores: Low (0-25), Medium (26-40), and High (41-100). Within each group, limitations in both low demand and high demand activities were assessed.Results: The sample consisted of 202 persons with a mean age of 65 (SD 8) years; 21 %, 34 %, and 45 % were categorized in the Low, Medium, and High Pain groups, respectively. Of the Low Pain group, 60 % reported at least one of the following functional limitations: limited flexion, limp, limited walking distance, and limitations in work or housework. While only 12 % of the Low Pain group reported at least moderate pain with walking on a flat surface, nearly all endorsed at least moderate difficulty with squatting and kneeling.Conclusions: A substantial number of persons scheduled for TKA report Low WOMAC Pain (≤25) prior to surgery. Persons with Low WOMAC Pain scheduled for TKA frequently report substantial difficulty with high demand activities such as kneeling and squatting. Studies of TKA appropriateness and effectiveness for patients with low WOMAC Pain should include measures of these activities.Trial Registration: Identifier NCT01970631 ; Registered 23 October 2013. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: To establish the efficacy of motivational interviewing-based postoperative care navigation in improving functional status after total knee arthroplasty (TKA) and to identify subgroups likely to benefit from the intervention.Methods: We conducted a parallel randomized controlled trial in TKA recipients with 2 arms: postoperative care with frequent followup by a care navigator or usual care. The primary outcome was the difference between the arms in Western Ontario and McMaster Universities Osteoarthritis Index function score change, over 6 months postsurgery. We performed a preplanned subgroup analysis of differential efficacy by obesity and exploratory subgroup analyses on sex and pain catastrophizing.Results: We enrolled 308 subjects undergoing TKA for osteoarthritis. Mean ± SD preoperative function score was 41 ± 17 (0-100 scale, where 100 = worst function). At 6 months, subjects in the navigation arm improved by mean ± SD 30 ± 16 points compared to 27 ± 18 points in the usual-care arm (P = 0.148). Participants with moderate to high levels of pain catastrophizing were unlikely to benefit from navigation compared to those with lower levels of pain catastrophizing (P = 0.013 for interaction).Conclusion: Subjects assigned to the navigation intervention did not demonstrate greater functional improvement compared to those in the control group. The negative overall result could be explained by the large effect on functional improvement of TKA itself compared to the smaller, additional benefit from care navigation, as well as by potential differential effects for subjects with moderate to high degrees of pain catastrophizing. Greater focus on developing programs for reducing pain catastrophizing could lead to better functional outcomes following TKA. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Advanced osteoarthritis and total joint replacement (TJR) recovery are painful experiences and often prompt opioid use in developed countries. Physicians participating in the philanthropic medical mission Operation Walk Boston (OpWalk) to the Dominican Republic have observed that Dominican patients require substantially less opioid medication following TJR than US patients. We conducted a qualitative study to investigate approaches to pain management and expectations for postoperative recovery in patients with advanced arthritis undergoing TJR in the Dominican Republic.Methods: We interviewed 20 patients before TJR about their pain coping mechanisms and expectations for postoperative pain management and recovery. Interviews were conducted in Spanish, translated, and analyzed in English using content analysis.Results: Patients reported modest use of pain medications and limited knowledge of opioids, and many relied on non-pharmacologic therapies and family support to cope with pain. They held strong religious beliefs that offered them strength to cope with chronic arthritis pain and prepare for acute pain following surgery. Patients exhibited a great deal of trust in powerful others, expecting God and doctors to cure their pain through surgery.Conclusion: We note the importance of understanding a patient's individual pain coping mechanisms and identifying strategies to support these coping behaviors in pain management. Such an approach has the potential to reduce the burden of chronic arthritis pain while limiting reliance on opioids, particularly for patients who do not traditionally utilize powerful analgesics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Increasing utilization of primary total knee arthroplasty (TKA) is projected to expand demand for revision TKA. Revision TKAs are procedurally complex and incur high costs on our financially constrained healthcare system. The purpose of this study was to use a case-control design to identify factors predisposing to revision TKA, particularly demographic, clinical and perioperative technical factors. Methods: We conducted a case control study to investigate patient, surgical and perioperative factors associated with greater risk of revision TKA. We included patients who received TKA at a tertiary center between 1996 and 2009. Cases (patients that had primary and revision TKA) were matched to controls (patients with primary TKA that was not revised) in a 1:2 ratio and risk of revision examined using conditional logistic regression. Results: We identified 146 cases and 290 controls. Patient factors independently associated with revision included male sex (OR 1.73; 95 % CI 1.06-2.81) and smoking (OR 2.87; 1.33-6.19). Older age was associated with decreased risk (OR 0.83 per 5-year increment; 95 % CI 0.75-0.92). Lateral release was the only technical factor associated with revision (OR 1.92; 1.07-3.43). Conclusions: In this case control study younger patient age, male gender, soft tissue release and active smoking status were associated with increased revision risk. Although we do not know whether the risk of smoking arises from short- or long-term exposure, smoking cessation prior to TKA should be considered as an intervention for decreasing revision risk. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Surgical options for the management of medial compartment osteoarthritis of the varus knee include high tibial osteotomy, unicompartmental knee arthroplasty, and total knee arthroplasty. We sought to determine the costeffectiveness of high tibial osteotomy and unicompartmental knee arthroplasty as alternatives to total knee arthroplasty for patients fifty to sixty years of age. Methods: We built a probabilistic state-transition computer model with health states defined by pain, postoperative complications, and subsequent surgical procedures. We estimated transition probabilities from published literature. Costs were determined from Medicare reimbursement schedules. Health outcomes were measured in quality-adjusted life-years (QALYs). We conducted analyses over patients lifetimes from the societal perspective, with health and cost outcomes discounted by 3% annually. We used probabilistic sensitivity analyses to account for uncertainty in data inputs. Results: The estimated discounted QALYs were 14.62, 14.63, and 14.64 for high tibial osteotomy, unicompartmental knee arthroplasty, and total knee arthroplasty, respectively. Discounted total direct medical costs were $20,436 for high tibial osteotomy, $24,637 for unicompartmental knee arthroplasty, and $24,761 for total knee arthroplasty (in 2012 U.S. dollars). The incremental cost-effectiveness ratio (ICER) was $231,900 per QALY for total knee arthroplasty and $420,100 per QALY for unicompartmental knee arthroplasty. Probabilistic sensitivity analyses showed that, at a willingnessto-pay (WTP) threshold of $50,000 per QALY, high tibial osteotomy was cost-effective 57% of the time; total knee arthroplasty, 24%; and unicompartmental knee arthroplasty, 19%. At a WTP threshold of $100,000 per QALY, high tibial osteotomy was cost-effective 43% of time; total knee arthroplasty, 31%; and unicompartmental knee arthroplasty, 26%. Conclusions: In fifty to sixty-year-old patients with medial unicompartmental knee osteoarthritis, high tibial osteotomy is an attractive option compared with unicompartmental knee arthroplasty and total knee arthroplasty. This finding supports greater utilization of high tibial osteotomy for these patients. The cost-effectiveness of high tibial osteotomy and of unicompartmental knee arthroplasty depend on rates of conversion to total knee arthroplasty and the clinical outcomes of the conversions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background To address both the growing burden of joint disease and the gaps in medical access in developing nations, medical relief organizations have begun to launch programs to perform total joint replacement (TJR) on resident populations in developing countries. One outcome of TJR of particular interest is physical activity (PA) since it is strongly linked to general health. This study evaluates the amount of postoperative participation in PA in low-income patients who received total joint replacement in the Dominican Republic and identifies preoperative predictors of postoperative PA level. Methods We used the Yale Physical Activity Survey (YPAS) to assess participation in postoperative PA 1-4 years following total knee or hip replacement. We compared the amount of aerobic PA reported by postoperative TJR patients with the levels of PA recommended by the CDC and WHO. We also analyzed preoperative determinants of postoperative participation in aerobic PA in bivariate and multivariate analyses. Results 64 patients out of 170 eligible subjects (52/128 TKR and 14/42 THR) who received TJR between 2009-2012 returned for an annual follow-up visit in 2013, with a mean treatment-tofollow- up time of 2.1 years. 43.3% of respondents met CDC/WHO criteria for sufficient participation in aerobic PA. Multivariate analyses including data from 56 individuals identified that patients who were both younger than 65 and at least two years postoperative had an adjusted mean activity dimensions summary index (ADSI) 22.9 points higher than patients who were 65 or older and one year postoperative. Patients who lived with friends or family had adjusted mean ADSI 17.2 points higher than patients living alone. Patients who had the most optimistic preoperative expectations of outcome had adjusted mean ADSI scores that were 19.8 points higher than those who were less optimistic. Conclusion The TJR patients in the Dominican cohort participate in less PA than recommended by the CDC/WHO. Additionally, several associations were identified that potentially affect PA in this population; specifically, participants who are older than 65, recently postoperative, less optimistic about postoperative outcomes and who live alone participate in less PA. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background To examine if different rates of total knee replacement (TKR) in two similar cohorts with symptomatic knee osteoarthritis (OA) were associated with different functional impact of disease. Methods Subjects from the Multicenter Osteoarthritis Study (MOST) and the Osteoarthritis Initiative (OAI), persons with or at high risk of OA, had knee radiographs, completed Western Ontario and McMaster Universities Osteoarthritis Index (WOMAC) surveys and had TKRs confirmed at each visit. At each visit, subjects were defined as having symptomatic OA (SxOA) if ⩾ knee had pain and radiographic OA or if they had a TKR. WOMAC function scores at each visit were compared by analysis of covariance adjusting for age, sex, body mass index, race, site, depression, comorbidity, painful leg joints and knees affected. Post- TKR function scores were imputed to estimate scores that would have been present without TKR. Results Subjects with SxOA (n > 750 in MOST and in OAI) had a mean age 66 to 67 years; most were women and were White. Subjects were followed 4-5 years. Among those with SxOA, more TKRs were done in MOST (35%) than OAI (19%). Adjusted mean WOMAC function (0-68, 68 = worst) improved from 26.9 to 21.9 in MOST and from 24.5 to 22.0 in OAI (difference between MOST and OAI in change in WOMAC function, p = .01). Estimates of function without TKRs showed function would not have changed in MOST (23.2 at baseline to 22.4). Conclusions Functional status of subjects with knee OA in MOST improved more than in OAI, probably because of higher rates of TKRs. The decline suggests that TKR diminishes the functional impact of OA in the community. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background Utilization of total knee arthroplasty is increasing rapidly. A substantial number of total knee arthroplasty recipients have persistent pain after surgery. Our objective was to design a randomized controlled trial to establish the efficacy of a motivational-interviewing-based telephone intervention aimed at improving patient outcomes and satisfaction following total knee arthroplasty. Methods/design The study was conducted at Brigham and Women's Hospital in Boston, Massachusetts. The study focused on individuals 40 years or older with a primary diagnosis of osteoarthritis who were scheduled for total knee arthroplasty. The study compared two management strategies over the first six months postoperatively: 1) enhanced postoperative care with frequent follow-up by a care navigator; 2) usual postoperative care. Those who were randomized into the enhanced postoperative care arm received ten calls from a trained non-clinician care navigator over the first six postoperative months. The navigator used motivational interviewing techniques to engage patients in discussions related to their rehabilitation goals, including patient's plans for and confidence in achieving those goals. Patients in the usual care arm received standard postoperative management and received no navigator phone calls. Patients in both arms were assessed at baseline, three months, and six months postoperatively. Discussion The primary outcome of the study was improvement in function as measured by the difference in Western Ontario and McMaster Universities Osteoarthritis Index function score between preoperative (baseline) status and six months postoperatively. Data were collected to identify factors that may be related to total knee arthroplasty outcomes, including preoperative pain, pain catastrophizing, self-efficacy, and depression. A formal economic analysis is also planned to determine the cost-effectiveness of the care navigator as a component of total knee arthroplasty care. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Medical record review (MRR) is one of the most commonly used research methods in clinical studies because it provides rich clinical detail. However, because MRR involves subjective interpretation of information found in the medical record, it is critically important to understand the reproducibility of data obtained from MRR. Furthermore, because medical record review is both technically demanding and time intensive, it is important to establish whether trained research staff with no clinical training can abstract medical records reliably. Methods: We assessed the reliability of abstraction of medical record information in a sample of patients who underwent total knee replacement (TKR) at a referral center. An orthopedic surgeon instructed two research coordinators (RCs) in the abstraction of inpatient medical records and operative notes for patients undergoing primary TKR. The two RCs and the surgeon each independently reviewed 75 patients' records and one RC reviewed the records twice. Agreement was assessed using the proportion of items on which reviewers agreed and the kappa statistic. Results: The kappa for agreement between the surgeon and each RC ranged from 0.59 to 1 for one RC and 0.49 to 1 for the other; the percent agreement ranged from 82% to 100% for one RC and 70% to 100% for the other. The repeated abstractions by the same RC showed high intra-rater agreement, with kappas ranging from 0.66 to 1 and percent agreement ranging from 97% to 100%. Inter-rater agreement between the two RCs was moderate with kappa ranging from 0.49 to 1 and percent agreement ranging from 76% to 100%. Conclusion: The MRR method used in this study showed excellent reliability for abstraction of information that had low technical complexity and moderate to good reliability for information that had greater complexity. Overall, these findings support the use of non-surgeons to abstract surgical data from operative notes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Total knee arthroplasty (TKA) is common, effective, and cost-effective. Innovative implants promising reduced long-term failure at increased cost are under continual development. We sought to define the implant cost and performance thresholds under which innovative TKA implants are cost-effective. Methods: We performed a cost-effectiveness analysis using a validated, published computer simulation model of knee osteoarthritis. Model inputs were derived using published literature, Medicare claims, and National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey data. We compared projected TKA implant survival, quality-adjusted life expectancy (QALE), lifetime costs, and cost-effectiveness (incremental cost-effectiveness ratios or ICERs) of standard versus innovative TKA implants. We assumed innovative implants offered 5–70% decreased long-term TKA failure rates at costs 20–400% increased above standard implants. We examined the impact of patient age, comorbidity, and potential increases in short-term failure on innovative implant cost-effectiveness. Results: Implants offering ≥50% decrease in long-term TKA failure at ≤50% increased cost offered ICERs <$100,000 regardless of age or baseline comorbidity. An implant offering a 20% decrease in long-term failure at 50% increased cost provided ICERs <$150,000 per QALY gained only among healthy 50–59-year-olds. Increasing short-term failure, consistent with recent device failures, reduced cost-effectiveness across all groups. Increasing the baseline likelihood of long-term TKA failure among younger, healthier and more active individuals further enhanced innovative implant cost-effectiveness among younger patients. Conclusions: Innovative implants must decrease actual TKA failure, not just radiographic wear, by 50–55% or more over standard implants to be broadly cost-effective. Comorbidity and remaining life span significantly affect innovative implant cost-effectiveness and should be considered in the development, approval and implementation of novel technologies, particularly in orthopedics. Model-based evaluations such as this offer valuable, unique insights for evaluating technological innovation in medical devices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: In the last decade, the number of total knee replacements performed annually in the United States has doubled, with disproportionate increases among younger adults. While total knee replacement is a highly effective treatment for end-stage knee osteoarthritis, total knee replacement recipients can experience persistent pain and severe complications. We are aware of no current estimates of the prevalence of total knee replacement among adults in the U.S. Methods: We used the Osteoarthritis Policy Model, a validated computer simulation model of knee osteoarthritis, and data on annual total knee replacement utilization to estimate the prevalence of primary and revision total knee replacement among adults fifty years of age or older in the U.S. We combined these prevalence estimates with U.S. Census data to estimate the number of adults in the U.S. currently living with total knee replacement. The annual incidence of total knee replacement was derived from two longitudinal knee osteoarthntis cohorts and ranged from 1.6% to 11.9% in males and from 2.0% to 10.9% in females. Results: We estimated that 4.0 million (95% confidence interval [Cl]: 3.6 million to 4.4 million) adults in the U.S. currently live with a total knee replacement, representing 4.2% (95% Cl: 3.7% to 4.6%) of the population fifty years of age or older. The prevalence was higher among females (4.8%) than among males (3.4%) and increased with age. The lifetime risk of primary total knee replacement from the age of twenty-five years was 7.0% (95% Cl: 6.1% to 7.8%) for males and 9.5% (95% Cl: 8.5% to 10.5%) for females. Over half of adults in the U.S. diagnosed with knee osteoarthritis will undergo a total knee replacement. Conclusions: Among older adults in the U.S., total knee replacement is considerably more prevalent than rheumatoid arthritis and nearly as prevalent as congestive heart failure. Nearly 1.5 million of those with a primary total knee replacement are fifty to sixty-nine years old, indicating that a large population is at risk for costly revision surgery as well as possible long-term complications of total knee replacement. Clinical Relevance: These prevalence estimates will be useful in planning health services specific to the population living with total knee replacement. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Total knee replacement utilization in the United States more than doubled from 1999 to 2008. Although the reasons for this increase have not been examined rigorously, some have attributed the increase to population growth and the obesity epidemic. Our goal was to investigate whether the rapid increase in total knee replacement use over the past decade can be sufficiently attributed to changes in these two factors. Methods: We used data from the Nationwide Inpatient Sample to estimate changes in total knee replacement utilization rates from 1999 to 2008, stratified by age (eighteen to forty-four years, forty-five to sixty-four years, and sixty-five years or older). We obtained data on obesity prevalence and U.S. population growth from federal sources. We compared the rate of change in total knee replacement utilization with the rates of population growth and change in obesity prevalence from 1999 to 2008. Results: In 2008, 615,050 total knee replacements were performed in the United States adult population, 134% more than in 1999. During the same time period, the overall population size increased by 11%. While the population of forty-five to sixty-four-year-olds grew by 29%, the number of total knee replacements in this age group more than tripled. The number of obese and non-obese individuals in the United States increased by 23% and 4%, respectively. Assuming unchanged indications for total knee replacement among obese and non-obese individuals with knee osteoarthritis over the last decade, these changes fail to account for the 134% growth in total knee replacement use. Conclusions: Population growth and obesity cannot fully explain the rapid expansion of total knee replacements in the last decade, suggesting that other factors must also be involved. The disproportionate increase in total knee replacements among younger patients may be a result of a growing number of knee injuries and expanding indications for the procedure. Clinical Relevance: The dramatic increase in total knee replacement utilization has implications for manpower, healthcare financing, and the clinical management of patients who have advanced osteoarthritis of the knee. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Total hip and knee replacements (THR and TKR) are high-risk settings for venous thromboembolism (VTE). This review summarizes the cost effectiveness of VTE prophylaxis regimens for THR and TKR. We searched MEDLINE (January 1997 to October 2009), EMBASE (January 1997 to June 2009) and the UK NHS Economic Evaluation Database (1997 to October 2009). We analysed recent cost-effectiveness studies examining five categories of comparisons: (i) anticoagulants (warfarin, low-molecular-weight heparin [LMWH] or fondaparinux) versus acetylsalicylic acid (aspirin); (ii) LMWH versus warfarin; (iii) fondaparinux versus LMWH; (iv) comparisons with new oral anticoagulants; and (v) extended-duration (≥3 weeks) versus shortduration (<3 weeks) prophylaxis. We abstracted information on cost and effectiveness for each prophylaxis regimen in order to calculate an incremental cost-effectiveness ratio. Because of variations in effectiveness units reported and horizon length analysed, we calculated two cost-effectiveness ratios, one for the number of symptomatic VTE events avoided at 90 days and the other for QALYs at the 1-year mark or beyond. Our search identified 33 studies with 67 comparisons. After standardization, comparisons between LMWH and warfarin were inconclusive, whereas fondaparinux dominated LMWH in nearly every comparison. The latter results were derived from radiographic VTE rates. Extended-duration prophylaxis after THR was generally cost effective. Small numbers prohibit conclusions about aspirin, new oral anticoagulants or extended-duration prophylaxis after TKR. Fondaparinux after both THR and TKR and extended-duration LMWH after THR appear to be cost-effective prophylaxis regimens. Small numbers for other comparisons and absence of trials reporting symptomatic endpoints prohibit comprehensive conclusions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Total hip and knee replacement reduces disability associated with lower extremity osteoarthritis. It has been shown that racial and ethnic minority groups underutilize these procedures; however, little information exists on postoperative outcomes for ethnic minorities. Methods: We conducted a systematic review of the literature to compile population-based or multicenter studies on early postoperative outcomes after total hip and knee replacement in racial and ethnic minorities. Results: Nine studies met the inclusion criteria. Among the nine eligible studies, four examined total knee replacement, three examined total hip replacement, and two examined both. Two studies investigated mortality after total knee replacement, and one found that blacks had an increased risk of mortality. Three studies investigated infection after total knee replacement; all found an increased risk in blacks and Hispanics. Four studies examined non-infection-related complications after total knee replacement, and all four found that nonwhites had an increased risk of complications. Two studies investigated mortality after total hip replacement; one of these found that, for primary hip replacement, blacks had an increased risk of mortality. Conclusions: There is a paucity of research on outcomes after orthopaedic procedures for racial and ethnic minority groups. On the basis of the available literature, racial and ethnic minority groups appear to have a higher risk for early complications (those occurring within ninety days), particularly joint infection, after total knee replacement and perhaps a higher risk of mortality after total hip replacement. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Studies on critical pathway use have demonstrated decreased length of stay and cost without compromise in quality of care. However, pathway effectiveness is difficult to determine given methodological flaws, such as small or single center cohorts. We studied the effect of critical pathways on total knee replacement outcomes in a large population-based study. Methods: We identified hospitals in four US states that performed total knee replacements. We sent a questionnaire to surgical administrators in these hospitals including items about critical pathway use and hospital characteristics potentially related to outcomes. Patient data were obtained from Medicare claims, including demographics, comorbidities, 90-day postoperative complications and length of hospital stay. The principal outcome measure was the risk of having one or more postoperative complications. Results: Two hundred ninety five hospitals (73%) responded to the questionnaire, with 201 reporting the use of critical pathways. 9,157 Medicare beneficiaries underwent TKR in these hospitals with a mean age of 74 years (± 5.8). After adjusting for both patient and hospital related variables, patients in hospitals with pathways were 32% less likely to have a postoperative complication compared to patients in hospitals without pathways (OR 0.68, 95% CI 0.50-0.92). Patients managed on a critical pathway had an average length of stay 0.5 days (95% CI 0.3-0.6) shorter than patients not managed on a pathway. Conclusion: Medicare patients undergoing total knee replacement surgery in hospitals that used critical pathways had fewer postoperative complications than patients in hospitals without pathways, even after adjusting for patient and hospital related factors. This study has helped to establish that critical pathway use is associated with lower rates of postoperative mortality and complications following total knee replacement after adjusting for measured variables. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article reports on the study that investigates that cost-effectiveness of total knee arthroplasty (TKA) to relieve pain and improves quality of life for persons with advanced knee osteoarthritis. It shows that TKA increases quality-adjusted life expectancy (QALE) from 6.822 to 7.957 quality-adjusted life years (QALY). It reveals that TKA appears to be cost-effective in the U.S. Medicare-aged population and suggests that policy decisions should be made based on available local options for TKA.

A letter to the editor is presented in response to the article "Navigated Total Knee Replacement," that was published in the previous issue.

The article investigates the association of neighborhood sociodemographic characteristics with health care utilization among total knee replacement (TKR) recipients from vulnerable populations. The researchers recommend that efforts to inform patients about the association of volume with TKR outcomes should target rural areas and vulnerable populations in urban settings.

Background: When a bilateral total knee replacement is indicated, it is not clear whether it is preferable to operate on both knees during the same hospitalization (simultaneously) or to stage the procedures in two separate hospital stays. A greater risk of pulmonary embolism after simultaneous total knee replacement has been reported by some authors, but little national data are available. Methods: We reviewed the records of 122,385 United States Medicare enrollees who had had a total knee replacement in 2000. We noted whether they had had a unilateral procedure or two procedures and, if they had had two procedures, whether both had been done during the same hospitalization or whether the operations had been performed during two separate hospital stays. Age, sex, race, residence, Medicaid eligibility (a proxy for low income), and the Charlson comorbidity score were documented for each patient as were the total numbers of total knee replacements performed in the year 2000 by the hospital and the surgeon. The probability of a symptomatic pulmonary embolism developing in the first three months after surgery was calculated for the simultaneous, staged, and unilateral procedures. Results: Simultaneous procedures were much more likely to be performed in high-volume hospitals and by high-volume surgeons than were staged procedures. Men had proportionately more simultaneous procedures than did women. Hospitals in the northeastern United States were the most likely to perform simultaneous procedures. A pulmonary embolism developed in the first three months in 0.81% of the patients who had had a single procedure compared with 1.44% of the patients who had undergone a simultaneous procedure (adjusted hazard ratio 1.81; 95% confidence interval, 1.49, 2.20). Conclusions: The systematic differences in patient gender, hospital and surgeon volume, and geographic region between those who undergo simultaneous total knee replacements and those who undergo staged procedures should be borne in mind when outcomes are being compared. The adjusted risk of pulmonary embolism is about 80% higher in the three months after a simultaneous procedure than in the three months after a single procedure, which suggests that the sum of the risks associated with the two operations of a staged procedure may equal or exceed the risk of simultaneous total knee replacement. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: There are limited population-based data on the utilization and outcomes of total knee replacement. The aim of the present study was to describe the rates of primary and revision total knee replacement and selected outcomes in persons older than sixty-five years of age in the United States. Methods: Using Medicare claims, we computed annual incidence rates of unilateral elective primary and revision total knee replacement among United States Medicare beneficiaries in the year 2000. Poisson regression was used to assess the relationships between demographic characteristics and the incidence rates of primary and revision knee replacement. Proportional hazards models were used to examine the relationships between the ninety-day rates of complications and demographic and clinical factors. Results: The rate of primary knee replacement was lower in blacks than in whites and in those qualifying for Medicaid supplementation than in those with higher incomes. The complications observed during the ninety days following primary knee replacement included mortality (0.7%), readmission (0.9%), pulmonary embolus (0.8%), wound infection (0.4%), pneumonia (1.4%), and myocardial infarction (0.8%). The complications observed during the ninety days following revision knee replacement were mortality (1.1%), readmission (4.7%), pulmonary embolus (0.5%), wound infection (1.8%), pneumonia (1.4%), and myocardial infarction (1.0%). Blacks had higher rates of mortality, readmission, and wound infection after primary knee replacement than whites did. Patients who qualified for Medicaid supplementation had higher complication rates, particularly after primary knee replacement. Conclusions: Overall, the rates of postoperative complications during the ninety days following total knee replacement are low. In the United States, blacks and individuals with low income undergo total knee replacement less frequently and generally have higher rates of adverse outcomes following primary knee replacement. Level of Evidence: Prognostic Level II. See Instructions to Authors for a complete description of levels of evidence. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The relief of pain and the restoration of functional activities are the main outcomes of primary total knee arthroplasty for the treatment of osteoarthritis. This paper examines the preoperative predictors of pain and functional outcome at one and two years following total knee arthroplasty. Methods: Patients were recruited for a prospective observational study of primary total knee arthroplasty for the treatment of osteoarthritis from centers in the United States, the United Kingdom, and Australia. Research assistants recruited the patients and collected the clinical history and physical examination data preoperatively and at three, twelve, and twenty-four months postoperatively. The Western Ontario and McMaster University Osteoarthritis Index (WOMAC), Short Form-36 (SF-36), and demographic data were obtained by self-administered patient questionnaires. Results: We recruited 860 patients and obtained one-year WOMAC data on 759 patients (88%) and two-year data on 701 (82%). The mean age was seventy years, and 59% of the patients were female. Using hierarchical regression models, we found that the most significant preoperative predictors of worse scores on the pain and function domains of the WOMAC scale and on the physical functioning domain of the SF-36 at one and two years postoperatively were low preoperative scores, a higher number of comorbid conditions, and a low SF-36 mental health score. After adjusting for these predictors, we found that the functional status of the patients from the United Kingdom was significantly worse than that of the patients from the other countries and the difference was clinically important at both the one- year and two-year follow-up examination (p < 0.0005). The mean WOMAC pain scores for the three countries were not significantly different at one year, and, although they were significantly different at two years (p = 0.025), the difference was not clinically important. Conclusions: Patients who have marked functional limitation, severe pain, low mental health score, and other co-morbid conditions before total knee arthroplasty are more likely to have a worse outcome at one year and two years postoperatively. After adjusting for these predictors, it was found that patients from the United Kingdom had significantly worse functional outcomes but similar pain relief compared with those from the United States and Australia. Level of Evidence: Prognostic study, Level I-1 (prospective study). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The annual volume of major cardiovascular and oncologic procedures performed in hospitals and by surgeons has been inversely associated with the rates of perioperative mortality and complications. The relationship between hospital and surgeon volume and perioperative outcomes following total knee replacement has received little study. Methods: We analyzed claims data for Medicare patients who had elective primary total knee replacement between January 1 and August 31, 2000. Hospital and surgeon volumes were defined as the number of primary and revision total knee replacements performed in the hospital or by the surgeon in Medicare recipients in 2000. We examined the associations between the annual volumes of total knee replacement performed in the hospitals and by the surgeons and the rates of mortality and complications (infection, pulmonary embolus, myocardial infarction, or pneumonia) in the first ninety days postoperatively. The analyses were adjusted for age, gender, comorbid conditions, Medicaid eligibility (a marker of low income), and arthritis diagnosis. Analyses of hospital volume were adjusted for surgeon volume and vice versa. Results: Twenty-five percent of the primary total knee replacements were done by surgeons who performed twelve of these procedures or fewer in the Medicare population annually, and 11% were done in hospitals with an annual volume of twenty-five of these procedures or fewer. Compared with the patients who had a primary total knee replacement in hospitals with an annual volume of twenty-five procedures or fewer, those managed in hospitals with an annual volume exceeding 200 procedures had a lower risk of pneumonia (odds ratio, 0.65; 99% confidence interval, 0.47 to 0.90) and any of the adverse outcomes examined (death, pneumonia, pulmonary embolus, acute myocardial infarction, or deep infection) (odds ratio, 0.74; 99% confidence interval, 0.60 to 0.90). Similarly, patients who had a primary total knee replacement done by surgeons who performed more than fifty such procedures in Medicare recipients annually had a lower risk of pneumonia (odds ratio, 0.72; 99% confidence interval, 0.54 to 0.95) and any ad- verse outcome (odds ratio, 0.81; 99% confidence interval, 0.68 to 0.98) compared with patients of surgeons with an annual volume of twelve procedures or fewer. Conclusions: Patients managed at hospitals and by surgeons with greater volumes of total knee replacement have lower risks of perioperative adverse events following primary total knee replacement. Patients and clinicians should incorporate these findings into discussions about selecting a surgeon and a hospital for total knee replacement. These data should also be integrated into the policy debate about the advantages and drawbacks of regionalizing total joint replacement to high-volume centers. Level of Evidence: Prognostic study, LevelI-1 (retrospective study). See Instructions to Authors for a complete description of levels of evidence. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The author discusses a study about the appropriateness of total knee arthroplasty (TKA) in the U.S., by D.L. Riddle, W.A. Jiranek and C.W. Hayes, which appeared within the issue. Topics covered include the historical context of the appropriateness criteria for TKA developed by Spanis researchers Antonio Escobar and colleagues, the prevalence of malalignment risks in TKA, and the importance of exercise and physical activity in order to delay severe effects of arthritis.

The authors discuss the prevalence of knee osteoarthritis (OA), and focus on the increasing utilization of total knee arthroplasty (TKA) in younger patients. They highlight a study by Leskinen and colleagues, which examined the utilization of unicondylar implants, and questions the effectiveness of TKA in individuals of less than 60 years of age. The authors mention the Finnish Arthroplasty Registry, and suggest that further research is required on the outcomes of TKA in the younger population.

The author reflects regarding the adverse effects of total knee replacement for patients. Among the topics discussed include the advanced arthritis prevalence among ethnic and racial groups, the emergence disparities for minority groups, and the role of orthopaedic surgeons for treatment of advanced arthritis patients.

The authors discuss the findings of the Judge and his colleagues on the post-operative total knee replacement (TKRs) factors. He states that the patient with the worst preoperative functional status are benefited the most while the patients with the good functional status preoperatively are viewed as less appropriate candidates. They suggest that it provides an opportunity in critical health policy issue and states that understanding the effective targets would be a preventive measure.

Knee replacement surgery is one of the most commonly done and cost-effective musculoskeletal surgical procedures. The numbers of cases done continue to grow worldwide, with substantial variation in utilisation rates across regions and countries. The main indication for surgery remains painful knee osteoarthritis with reduced function and quality of life. The threshold for intervention is not well defined, and is influenced by many factors including patient and surgeon preference. Most patients have a very good clinical outcome after knee replacement, but multiple studies have reported that 20% or more of patients do not. So despite excellent long-term survivorship, more work is required to enhance this procedure and development is rightly focused on increasing the proportion of patients who have successful pain relief after surgery. Changing implant design has historically been a target for improving outcome, but there is greater recognition that improvements can be achieved by better implantation methods, avoiding complications, and improving perioperative care for patients, such as enhanced recovery programmes. New technologies are likely to advance future knee replacement care further, but their introduction must be regulated and monitored with greater rigour to ensure patient safety. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]