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Background: Periprosthetic joint infection (PJI) remains a dreaded and unpredictable complication after total hip arthroplasty (THA). In addition to causing substantial morbidity, PJI may contribute to long-term mortality risk. Our objective was to determine the long-term mortality risk associated with PJI following THA. Methods: This population-based, retrospective cohort study included adult patients (‡18 years old) in Ontario, Canada, who underwent their first primary elective THA for arthritis between April 1, 2002, and March 31, 2021. The primary outcome was death within 10 years after the index THA. Mortality was compared between propensity-score-matched groups (PJI within 1 year after surgery versus no PJI within 1 year after surgery) with use of survival analyses. Patients who died within 1 year after surgery were excluded to avoid immortal time bias. Results: A total of 175,432 patients (95,883 [54.7%] women) with a mean age (and standard deviation) of 67 ± 11.4 years underwent primary THA during the study period. Of these, 868 patients (0.49%) underwent surgery for a PJI of the replaced joint within 1 year after the index procedure. After matching, patients with a PJI within the first year had a significantly higher 10-year mortality rate than their counterparts (11.4% [94 of 827 patients] versus 2.2% [18 of 827 patients]; absolute risk difference, 9.19% [95% confidence interval (CI), 6.81% to 11.6%]; hazard ratio, 5.49 [95% CI, 3.32 to 9.09]). Conclusions: PJI within 1 year after surgery is associated with over a fivefold increased risk of mortality within 10 years. The findings of this study underscore the importance of prioritizing efforts related to the prevention, diagnosis, and treatment of PJIs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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Purpose: The COVID-19 pandemic had innumerable impacts on healthcare delivery. In Canada, this included limitations on inpatient capacity, which resulted in an increased focus on outpatient surgery for non-emergent cases such as joint replacements. The objective of this study was to assess whether the pandemic and the shift towards outpatient surgery had an impact on access to joint replacement for marginalized patients. Methods: Data from Ontario's administrative healthcare databases were obtained for all patients undergoing an elective hip or knee replacement between January 1, 2018 and August 31, 2021. All surgeries performed before March 15, 2020 were classified as "pre-COVID," while all procedures performed after that date were classified as "post-COVID." The Ontario Marginalization Index domains were used to analyze proportion of marginalized patients undergoing surgery pre- and post-COVID. Results: A total of 102,743 patients were included—42,812 hip replacements and 59,931 knee replacements. There was a significant shift towards outpatient surgery during the post-COVID period (1.1% of all cases pre-COVID to 13.2% post-COVID, p < 0.001). In the post-COVID cohort, there were significantly fewer patients from some marginalized groups, as well as fewer patients with certain co-morbidities, such as congestive heart failure and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. Conclusion: The most important finding of this population-level database study is that, compared to before the COVID-19 pandemic, there has been a change in the profile of patients undergoing hip and knee replacements in Ontario, specifically across a range of indicators. Fewer marginalized patients are undergoing joint replacement surgery since the COVID-19 pandemic. Further monitoring of access to joint replacement surgery is required in order to ensure that surgery is provided to those who are most in need. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Income-based differences in the use of and outcomes in TKA have been studied; however, it is not known if different healthcare systems affect this relationship. Although Canada's single-payer healthcare system is assumed to attenuate the wealth-based differences in TKA use observed in the United States, empirical cross-border comparisons are lacking.Questions/purposes: (1) Does TKA use differ between Pennsylvania, USA, and Ontario, Canada? (2) Are income-based disparities in TKA use larger in Pennsylvania or Ontario? (3) Are TKA outcomes (90-day mortality, 90-day readmission, and 1-year revision rates) different between Pennsylvania and Ontario? (4) Are income-based disparities in TKA outcomes larger in Pennsylvania or Ontario?Methods: We identified all patients hospitalized for primary TKA in this cross-border retrospective analysis, using administrative data for 2012 to 2018, and we found a total of 161,244 primary TKAs in Ontario and 208,016 TKAs in Pennsylvania. We used data from the Pennsylvania Health Care Cost Containment Council, Harrisburg, PA, USA, and the ICES (formally the Institute for Clinical Evaluative Sciences), Toronto, Ontario, Canada. We linked patient-level data to the respective census data to determine community-level income using ZIP Code or postal code of residence and stratified patients into neighborhood income quintiles. We compared TKA use (age and gender, standardized per 10,000 population per year) for patients residing in the highest-income versus the lowest-income quintile neighborhoods. Similarly secondary outcomes 90-day mortality, 90-day readmission, and 1-year revision rates were compared between the two regions and analyzed by income groups.Results: TKA use was higher in Pennsylvania than in Ontario overall and for all income quintiles (lowest income quartile: 31 versus 18 procedures per 10,000 population per year; p < 0.001; highest income quartile: 38 versus 23 procedures per 10,000 population per year; p < 0.001). The relative difference in use between the highest-income and lowest-income quintile was larger in Ontario (28% higher) than in Pennsylvania (23% higher); p < 0.001. Patients receiving TKA in Pennsylvania were more likely to be readmitted within 90 days and were more likely to undergo revision within the first year than patients in Ontario, but there was no difference in mortality at 1 year. When comparing income groups, there were no differences between the countries in 90-day mortality, readmission, or 1-year revision rates (p > 0.05).Conclusion: These results suggest that universal health insurance through a single-payer may not reduce the income-based differences in TKA access that are known to exist in the United States. Future studies are needed determine if our results are consistent across other geographic regions and other surgical procedures.Level Of Evidence: Level III, therapeutic study. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Preoperative opioid use has been shown to increase the risk for complications following total joint arthroplasty (TJA); however, these studies have not always accounted for differences in co-morbidities and socio-demographics between patients that use opioids and those that do not. They have also not accounted for the variation in degree of pre-operative use. The objective of this study was to determine if preoperative opioid use is associated with risk for surgical complications after TJA, and if this association varied by degree of use. Population-based retrospective cohort study. Older adult patients undergoing primary TJA of the hip, knee and shoulder for osteoarthritis between 2002 and 2015 in Ontario, Canada were identified. Using accepted definitions, patients were stratified into three groups according to their preoperative opioid use: no use, intermittent use and chronic use. The primary outcome was the occurrence of a composite surgical complication (surgical site infection, dislocation, revision arthroplasty) or death within a year of surgery. Intermittent and chronic users were matched separately to non-users in a 1:1 ratio, matching on TJA type plus a propensity score incorporating patient and provider factors. Overall, 108,067 patients were included in the study; 10% (N = 10,441) used opioids on a chronic basis before surgery and 35% (N = 37,668) used them intermittently. After matching, chronic pre-operative opioid use was associated with an increased risk for complications after TJA (HR 1.44, p = 0.001) relative to non-users. Overall, less than half of patients undergoing TJA used opioids in the year preceding surgery; the majority used them only intermittently. While chronic pre-operative opioid use is associated with an increased risk for complications after TJA, intermitted pre-operative use is not. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Aging may detrimentally affect cognitive and motor function. However, age is also associated with experience, and how these factors interplay and affect outcomes following surgery is unclear. We sought to evaluate the effect of surgeon age on postoperative outcomes in patients undergoing common surgical procedures.Methods: We performed a retrospective cohort study of patients undergoing 1 of 25 common surgical procedures in Ontario, Canada, from 2007 to 2015. We evaluated the association between surgeon age and a composite outcome of death, readmission and complications. We used generalized estimating equations for analysis, accounting for relevant patient-, procedure-, surgeon- and hospital-level factors.Results: We found 1 159 676 eligible patients who were treated by 3314 surgeons and ranged in age from 27 to 81 years. Modelled as a continuous variable, a 10-year increase in surgeon age was associated with a 5% relative decreased odds of the composite outcome (adjusted odds ratio [OR] 0.95, 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.92 to 0.98, p = 0.002). Considered dichotomously, patients receiving treatment from surgeons who were older than 65 years of age had a 7% lower odds of adverse outcomes (adjusted OR 0.93, 95% CI 0.88-0.97, p = 0.03; crude absolute difference = 3.1%).Interpretation: We found that increasing surgeon age was associated with decreasing rates of postoperative death, readmission and complications in a nearly linear fashion after accounting for patient-, procedure-, surgeon- and hospital-level factors. Further evaluation of the mechanisms underlying these findings may help to improve patient safety and outcomes, and inform policy about maintenance of certification and retirement age for surgeons. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Importance: Controversy exists about the preferred surgical approach for total hip arthroplasty (THA).Objective: To determine whether an anterior approach is associated with lower risk of complications than either a lateral or posterior approach.Design, Setting, and Participants: Population-based retrospective cohort study of all adults in Ontario, Canada, who had undergone primary THA for osteoarthritis between April 1, 2015, and March 31, 2018. All patients were followed up over a 1-year period (study end date, March 31, 2019).Exposures: Surgical approach (anterior vs lateral/posterior) for THA.Main Outcomes and Measures: Major surgical complications within 1 year (composite of deep infection requiring surgery, dislocation requiring closed or open reduction, or revision surgery). Outcomes were compared among propensity-score matched groups using Cox proportional hazards regression.Results: Of the 30 098 patients (mean [SD] age, 67 years [10.7 years]; 16 079 women [53.4%]) who underwent THA, 2995 (10%) underwent the anterior approach; 21 248 (70%), the lateral approach; and 5855 (20%) the posterior approach performed at 1 of 73 hospitals by 1 of 298 surgeons. All patients were followed up for 1 year. Compared with those undergoing the lateral or posterior approach, patients undergoing an anterior approach were younger (mean age, 65 vs 67 years; standardized difference, 0.17); had lower rates of morbid obesity (4.8% vs 7.6%; standardized difference, 0.12), diabetes (14.2% vs 19.9%; standardized difference, 0.15), and hypertension (53.4% vs 62.9%; standardized difference, 0.19); and were treated by higher-volume surgeons (median range, 111 procedures; interquartile range, 69-172 vs 77 procedures, interquartile range, 50-119 in the prior year; standardized difference, 0.55). Compared with 2993 propensity-score matched patients undergoing a lateral or posterior approach, the 2993 matched patients undergoing anterior approaches had a significantly greater risk of a major surgical complication (61 patients [2%] vs 29 patients [1%]; absolute risk difference, 1.07%; 95% CI, 0.46%-1.69%; hazard ratio, 2.07; 95% CI, 1.48 to 2.88).Conclusions and Relevance: Among patients undergoing total hip arthroplasty, an anterior surgical approach compared with a posterior or lateral surgical approach was associated with a small but statistically significant increased risk of major surgical complications. The findings may help inform decisions about surgical approach for hip arthroplasty, although further research is needed to understand pain and functional outcomes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Outcomes following total hip arthroplasty (THA) and total knee arthroplasty (TKA) with a short length of hospital stay have been reported; however, most studies have not accounted for an inherent patient selection bias and discharge disposition. The purpose of this study was to utilize a propensity score to match and compare the outcomes of patients undergoing THA or TKA with short and longer lengths of stay with a discharge directly home.Methods: An administrative database from Ontario, Canada, which has a single-payer health-care system, was retrospectively reviewed to identify patients who underwent THA or TKA from 2008 to 2016. Patients were subsequently stratified into 2 groups based on their length of stay: short length of stay (≤2 days; thereafter referred to as short stay) and longer length of stay (>2 days; thereafter referred to as longer stay). Using a propensity score, patients who underwent short-stay THA or TKA were matched to patients who underwent longer-stay THA or TKA. Matching was based on 15 demographic, medical, and surgical factors. Our primary outcomes included postoperative complications, health-care utilization (readmission and emergency department presentation), and health-care costs.Results: Overall, 89,656 TKAs (14,645 short stays and 75,011 longer stays) and 52,610 THAs (9,426 short stays and 43,184 longer stays) were included in this study. Patients who underwent short-stay THA or TKA were significantly more likely (p < 0.05) to be younger, male, healthier, and from a higher socioeconomic status and to have undergone the procedure with a higher-volume surgeon. Over 95% of short-stay cases were successfully matched to longer-stay cases, and we found no significant difference in complications, health-care utilization, and costs between patients on the basis of the length of stay.Conclusions: Patients undergoing short-stay THA or TKA with a discharge home were more likely to be younger, healthy, male patients from a higher socioeconomic status. Higher-volume surgeons are also more likely to perform short-stay THA or TKA. These characteristics confirm the previously held belief that a selection bias exists when comparing cohorts based on time to discharge. When comparing matched cohorts of patients who underwent short-stay and longer-stay THA or TKA, we observed no difference in outcomes, suggesting that a short stay with a discharge home in the appropriately selected patient is safe following THA or TKA.Level Of Evidence: Therapeutic Level IV. See Instructions for Authors for a complete description of levels of evidence. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Waiting for hip fracture surgery is associated with complications. The objective of this study was to determine whether waiting for hip fracture surgery is associated with health-care costs.Methods: We conducted a population-based, propensity-matched cohort study of patients treated between 2009 and 2014 in Ontario, Canada. The primary exposure was early hip fracture surgery, performed within 24 hours after arrival at the emergency department. The primary outcome was direct medical costs, estimated for each patient in 2013 Canadian dollars, from the payer perspective. The costs in the early and delayed groups were then compared using a difference-in-differences approach: the baseline cost in the year prior to the hip fracture that had been accrued by patients with early surgery was subtracted from the cost in the first year following the surgery (first difference), and the difference was then compared with the same difference among propensity-score-matched patients who had received delayed surgery (second difference). The secondary outcome was the postoperative length of stay (in days).Results: The study included 42,230 patients who received hip fracture surgery from a total of 522 different surgeons at 72 hospitals. The mean cost (and standard deviation) attributed to the hip fracture was $39,497 ± $46,645 per person. The matched patients who underwent surgery after 24 hours had direct 1-year medical costs that were an average of $2,638 higher (95% confidence interval [CI] = $1,595 to $3,680, p < 0.0001) and a postoperative length of stay that was an average of 0.610 day longer (95% CI = 0.1749 to 1.0331 days, p = 0.0058) compared with those who underwent surgery within 24 hours.Conclusions: Waiting >24 hours for hip fracture surgery was associated with increased medical costs and length of stay. Costs incurred by waiting may provide a financial incentive to mitigate delays in hip fracture surgery.Level Of Evidence: Economic Level III. Please see Instructions for Authors for a complete description of levels of evidence. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Although a delay of 24 hours for hip fracture repair is associated with medical complications and costs, it is unknown how long patients wait for surgery for hip fracture. We describe novel methods for measuring exact urgent and emergent surgical wait times (in hours) and the factors that influence them.Methods: Adults aged 45 years and older who underwent surgery for hip fracture (the most common urgently performed procedure) in Ontario, Canada, between 2009 and 2014 were eligible. Validated data from linked health administrative databases were used. The primary outcome was the time elapsed from hospital arrival recorded in the National Ambulatory Care Reporting System until the time of surgery recorded in the Discharge Abstract Database (in hours). The influence of patient, physician and hospital factors on wait times was investigated using 3-level, hierarchical linear regression models.Results: Among 42 230 patients with hip fracture, the mean (SD) wait time for surgery was 38.76 (28.84) hours, and 14 174 (33.5%) patients underwent surgery within 24 hours. Variables strongly associated with delay included time for hospital transfer (adjusted increase of 26.23 h, 95% CI 25.38 to 27.01) and time for preoperative echocardiography (adjusted increase of 18.56 h, 95% CI 17.73 to 19.38). More than half of the hospitals (37 of 72, 51.4%), compared with 4.8% of surgeons and 0.2% of anesthesiologists, showed significant differences in the risk-adjusted likelihood of delayed surgery.Interpretation: Exact wait times for urgent and emergent surgery can be measured using Canada's administrative data. Only one-third of patients received surgery within the safe time frame (24 h). Wait times varied according to hospital and physician factors; however, hospital factors had a larger impact. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: Total knee arthroplasty (TKA) and total hip arthroplasty (THA) are common and effective surgical procedures. This study sought to compare utilization and short‐term outcomes of primary TKA and THA in adjacent regions of Canada and the United States. Methods: The study was designed as a retrospective cohort study of patients who underwent primary TKA or THA, comparing administrative data from New York and Ontario in 2012–2013. Demographic features of the TKA and THA patients, per capita utilization rates, and short‐term outcomes were compared between the jurisdictions. Results: A higher percentage of New York hospitals performed TKA compared to Ontario hospitals (75.7% versus 42.1%; P < 0.001), and the mean annual procedural volume for TKAs was lower in New York hospitals (mean 179 versus 327 in Ontario hospitals; P < 0.001). After direct standardization, utilization was significantly lower in New York compared to Ontario, both for TKA (16.1 TKAs versus 21.4 TKAs per 10,000 population per year; P < 0.001) and for THA (10.5 THAs versus 11.5 THAs per 10,000 population per year; P < 0.001). For those who underwent TKA, the length of stay in Ontario hospitals was significantly longer (mean 3.7 days versus 3.4 days in New York hospitals; P < 0.001). A smaller percentage of New York patients were discharged directly home (46.2% versus 90.9% of Ontario patients; P < 0.001), but 30‐day and 90‐day readmission rates were higher in New York compared to Ontario (30‐day rates, 4.6% versus 3.9% [P < 0.001]; 90‐day rates, 8.4% versus 6.7% [P < 0.001]). For the THA cohorts, the results with regard to length of stay, discharge disposition, and readmission rates were similar to those for TKA. Conclusion: Ontario has higher utilization of total joint arthroplasty than New York but has a smaller percentage of hospitals performing these procedures. Patients are more likely to be discharged home and less likely to be readmitted in Ontario. Our results suggest areas where each jurisdiction could improve. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Importance: Although wait times for hip fracture surgery have been linked to mortality and are being used as quality-of-care indicators worldwide, controversy exists about the duration of the wait that leads to complications.Objective: To use population-based wait-time data to identify the optimal time window in which to conduct hip fracture surgery before the risk of complications increases.Design, Setting, and Participants: Population-based, retrospective cohort study of adults undergoing hip fracture surgery between April 1, 2009, and March 31, 2014, at 72 hospitals in Ontario, Canada. Risk-adjusted restricted cubic splines modeled the probability of each complication according to wait time. The inflection point (in hours) when complications began to increase was used to define early and delayed surgery. To evaluate the robustness of this definition, outcomes among propensity-score matched early and delayed surgical patients were compared using percent absolute risk differences (RDs, with 95% CIs).Exposure: Time elapsed from hospital arrival to surgery (in hours).Main Outcomes and Measures: Mortality within 30 days. Secondary outcomes included a composite of mortality or other medical complications (myocardial infarction, deep vein thrombosis, pulmonary embolism, and pneumonia).Results: Among 42 230 patients with hip fracture (mean [SD] age, 80.1 years [10.7], 70.5% women) who met study entry criteria, overall mortality at 30 days was 7.0%. The risk of complications increased when wait times were greater than 24 hours, irrespective of the complication considered. Compared with 13 731 propensity-score matched patients who received surgery earlier, 13 731 patients who received surgery after 24 hours had a significantly higher risk of 30-day mortality (898 [6.5%] vs 790 [5.8%]; % absolute RD, 0.79; 95% CI, 0.23-1.35) and the composite outcome (1680 [12.2%]) vs 1383 [10.1%]; % absolute RD, 2.16; 95% CI, 1.43-2.89).Conclusions and Relevance: Among adults undergoing hip fracture surgery, increased wait time was associated with a greater risk of 30-day mortality and other complications. A wait time of 24 hours may represent a threshold defining higher risk. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The objective of this study was to examine the impact of pedestrian countdown signals (PCS) on the rate of motor vehicle collisions (MVCs) in Toronto, Canada. A quasi-experimental design was used to compare rates of single and two vehicle MVCs before and after installation of PCS in Toronto, Canada between January 2005 and December 2009. Collision incidence rates were compared using Poisson regression analyses with adjustment for relevant cofounders and reported as incidence rate ratios (IRR) with 95% confidence intervals (CI). Secondary analyses were performed on subsets of collisions by collision type and injury severity. A total of 94,175 MVCs occurred at or near 1965 intersections at which PCS were installed over the five-year study period. Overall, the MVC incidence rate increased 7.5% (IRR = 1.075; 95% CI: 1.042–1.109;p< 0.0001) after installation of PCS. The installation of PCS led to an increase in MVCs. PCS may have an unintended consequence of increasing the rate of MVCs. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Objective To determine the relationship between surgeon experience with, and complications following, total joint arthroplasty (TJA) in patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA). Methods Using administrative data, we assembled a cohort of patients with RA who had undergone at least 1 elective primary hip or knee replacement procedure between 2002 and 2009. Cox proportional hazards, censored on death and accounting for clustering of patients within surgeons, were used to determine the relationship between overall and 'RA-specific' surgeon TJA volume and the occurrence of a composite 'complication' outcome (revision, infection, dislocation, or periprosthetic fracture within 2 years of the initial TJA), controlling for potential confounders (patient age, sex, comorbidity, and disease severity). Results We identified 4,762 patients with RA who were eligible for TJAs (1,515 total hip arthroplasties and 3,247 total knee arthroplasties). Among these patients, 152 (3.2%) experienced a surgical complication within 2 years of the procedure. After controlling for patient and hospital factors, greater surgeon TJA volume in patients with RA (RA TJA), but not overall TJA volume (all TJA), was associated with a reduced risk of complications (for surgeon RA TJA volume per 10 cases, adjusted hazard ratio [HR] 0.81, 95% confidence interval [95% CI] 0.71-0.93, P = 0.002; for surgeon all TJA volume, adjusted HR 0.98, 95% CI 0.97-1.00, P = 0.09). Conclusion In a cohort of patients with RA who underwent hip or knee TJA, increased surgeon experience performing TJA in patients with RA, irrespective of their overall TJA experience and hospital factors, was associated with a decreased risk of surgical complications. These findings have potential implications for surgeon training and the referral practices of rheumatologists. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective Most of the evidence regarding complications following total hip arthroplasty (THA) and total knee arthroplasty (TKA) are based on patients with osteoarthritis (OA); less is known about outcomes in rheumatoid arthritis (RA). Using a validated algorithm for identifying patients with RA, we undertook this study to compare the rates of complications among THA and TKA recipients between those with RA and those without RA. Methods In patients who underwent a first primary elective THA or TKA between 2002 and 2009, those with RA were identified using a validated algorithm: a hospitalization with a diagnosis code for RA or 3 physician billing claims with a diagnosis code for RA, with at least 1 claim by a specialist (rheumatologist, orthopedic surgeon, or internist) in a 2-year period. Recipients with diagnostic codes suggesting an inflammatory arthritis, but not meeting RA criteria, were classified as having inflammatory arthritis. All remaining patients were deemed to have OA. Cox proportional hazards models, censored on death, were used to determine the relationship between the type of arthritis and the occurrence of specific complications, adjusting for potential confounders (age, sex, comorbidity, and provider volume). Results We identified 43,997 eligible THA recipients (3% with RA) and 71,793 eligible TKA recipients (4% with RA). Total joint arthroplasty recipients with RA had higher age and sex-standardized rates of dislocation following THA (2.45%, compared with 1.21% for recipients with OA) and higher age and sex-standardized rates of infection following TKA (1.26%, compared with 0.84% for recipients with OA). Controlling for potential confounders, recipients with RA remained at increased risk of dislocation within 2 years of THA (adjusted hazard ratio [HR] 1.91, P = 0.001) and remained at increased risk of infection within 2 years of TKA (adjusted HR 1.47, P = 0.03) relative to recipients with OA. Conclusion Patients with RA are at higher risk of dislocation following THA and are at higher risk of infection following TKA relative to those with OA. Further research is warranted to elucidate explanations for these findings, including the roles of medication profile, implant choice, postoperative antibiotic protocol, and method of rehabilitation following joint replacement. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective Most of the evidence regarding complications following total hip arthroplasty (THA) and total knee arthroplasty (TKA) is based on studies of patients with osteoarthritis (OA), with little being known about outcomes in patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA). The objective of the present study was to review the current evidence regarding rates of THA/TKA complications in RA versus OA. Methods Data sources used were Medline, EMBase, Cinahl, Web of Science, and reference lists of articles. We included reports published between 1990 and 2011 that described studies of primary total joint arthroplasty of the hip or knee and contained information on outcomes in ≥200 RA and OA joints. Outcomes of interest included revision, hip dislocation, infection, 90-day mortality, and venous thromboembolic events. Two reviewers independently assessed each study for quality and extracted data. Where appropriate, meta-analysis was performed; if this was not possible, the level of evidence was assessed qualitatively. Results Forty studies were included in this review. The results indicated that patients with RA are at increased risk of dislocation following THA (adjusted odds ratio 2.16 [95% confidence interval 1.52-3.07]). There was fair evidence to support the notion that risk of infection and risk of early revision following TKA are increased in RA versus OA. There was no evidence of any differences in rates of revision at later time points, 90-day mortality, or rates of venous thromboembolic events following THA or TKA in patients with RA versus OA. RA was explicitly defined in only 3 studies (7.5%), and only 11 studies (27.5%) included adjustment for covariates (e.g., age, sex, and comorbidity). Conclusion The findings of this literature review and meta-analysis indicate that, compared to patients with OA, patients with RA are at higher risk of dislocation following THA and higher risk of infection following TKA. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article reports a study which determining publication rates of randomized controlled trials in sports medicine that have been registered with ClinicalTrials.gov (CTG). The results revealed that 58 percent of sports medicine trials registered on CTG were published in a peer-reviewed journal within at least 32 months from study completion. A discrepancy was found in methodological variables including primary and secondary outcomes, eligibility criteria, and sample size requirements.

STUDY QUESTION Is there a cut point in annual surgeon volume associated with increased risk for complications after primary elective total hip arthroplasty, and, if so, can we quantify this risk? SUMMARY ANSWER In a cohort of first time recipients of total hip arthroplasty, we found that patients operated on by surgeons who had performed 35 or fewer procedures in the year before the index arthroplasty were at increased risk for dislocation and early revision. WHAT IS KNOWN AND WHAT THIS PAPER ADDS Though there is a general consensus that increased surgeon volume is associated with a reduced risk of complications, there is a lack of consensus around what constitutes a “low” annual volume. This study showed that in patients undergoing total hip arthroplasty, the risks for dislocation and early revision increased by about 48% and 44%, respectively, when they were operated on by surgeons with annual volumes ≤35 procedures. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: Access to care varies between countries. It is theorized that income-based disparities in access may be reduced in countries with universal health insurance relative to the United States, but data are currently limited. We hypothesized that income-based differences in total hip arthroplasty (THA) utilization and outcomes would be larger in the United States than in Canada., Methods: We retrospectively compared all patients undergoing THA from 2012 to 2018 in Pennsylvania, the United States, and Ontario, Canada. We compared age-standardized and sex-standardized per-capita THA utilization in the United States and Canada overall and across different income strata, where income strata were defined by neighborhood income quintile. We also examined income-based differences in rates of 1-year revision, 90-day mortality, and 90-day readmission., Results: Overall THA utilization per 10,000 people per year was higher across all income groups in Pennsylvania compared with Ontario (15.1 versus 8.8, P < 0.001 in lowest-income quintile; 21.4 versus 12.6, P < 0.001 in highest-income quintile). Income-based differences in utilization in the highest-income vs lowest-income quintile groups were greater in Ontario (43.2%) than Pennsylvania (41.7%). The adjusted odds for the lowest-income group compared with the highest-income group of 1-year revision were greater in Ontario compared with Pennsylvania ( P = 0.03), and risk of 90-day mortality and 90-day readmission was similar between the regions., Conclusion: Income-based differences in THA utilization were more notable in Ontario than in Pennsylvania. In addition, patients in low-income communities in Ontario were at equal or greater risk relative to high-income community patients for adverse outcomes compared with patients in Pennsylvania. Income-based disparities in THA utilization and outcomes were smaller in the United States than in Canada, in contrast to what might be expected., Level of Evidence: III., (Copyright © 2024 by the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons.)

Background and Purpose:  Total hip arthroplasty (THA) can be performed through various surgical approaches, including direct anterior (DAA). DAA-THA may offer faster recovery but carries a higher risk of complications, which may be mitigated by surgeon volume and experience. We examined the association of surgeons' annual surgical volume with major complications after DAA-THA in a population-based sample., Methods:  A population-based retrospective cohort study was carried out on primary DAA-THA patients in Ontario between April 2016 and March 2021. We used restricted cubic splines to visually define the association between annual DAA surgeon volume and the risk of major surgical complications (fractures, dislocations, infections, and revisions) within 1 year of surgery. We further compared the complication rates amongst different DAA volume categories (< 30, 30-60, and > 60 cases/year)., Results: The study encompassed 9,672 DAA-THA patients (52% female, median age 67 years). We showed a sharp decline in the probability of complications as the surgical volume of DAA-THA increased within the lower range of 0-30 cases/year; the probability slightly increased after the surgical volume exceeded 60 cases/year. The overall complication rates were 3.09%, 2.24%, and 2.18% for the surgical experience group of < 30 cases/year, 30-60 cases/year, and > 60 cases/year, respectively., Conclusion:  There was an inverse relationship between surgical volume and complication rates in DAA-THA within the lower volume ranges. Maintaining a surgical volume of at least 30 DAA-THA cases/year can minimize complications, emphasizing the importance of surgical volume in this approach.

Background: Demand for total knee arthroplasty (TKA) is increasing as it remains the gold-standard treatment for end-stage osteoarthritis (OA) of the knee. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scans of the knee are not indicated for diagnosing knee OA and represent a possible delay to orthopaedic surgeon referral and unnecessary expenditure. The purpose of this study was to determine the proportion of patients who underwent an MRI in the two years prior to their primary TKA for OA and determine patient and physician associations with increased MRI usage., Methods: This is a population-based cohort study using administrative data from Ontario, Canada. All patients over 40 years old who underwent their first primary TKA between April 1, 2008, and March 31, 2019, were included. Statistical analyses were performed using SAS and included the Cochran-Armitage test for trend of MRI prior to surgery. A predictive multivariable regression model was used to determine features correlated to receiving an MRI., Results: There were 194,989 eligible first-time TKA recipients, of which 38,244 (19.6%) received an MRI in the two years prior to their surgery. The majority of these (69.6%) were ordered by primary care physicians. Patients who received an MRI were younger, had fewer comorbidities and were more affluent than patients who did not (p < 0.001). MRI use prior to TKA increased from 2008 to 2018 (p < 0.001)., Conclusion: Despite MRIs rarely being indicated for the work-up of end-stage OA, nearly one in five patients have an MRI in the two years prior to their TKA. This may be increasing healthcare expenditure and surgical wait-times., (© 2024. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer-Verlag France SAS, part of Springer Nature.)

Aims: Total hip arthroplasty (THA) is one of the most successful surgical procedures. The objectives of this study were to define whether there is a correlation between socioeconomic status (SES) and surgical complications after elective primary unilateral THA, and investigate whether access to elective THA differs within SES groups., Methods: We conducted a retrospective, population-based cohort study involving 202 hospitals in Ontario, Canada, over a 17-year period. Patients were divided into income quintiles based on postal codes as a proxy for personal economic status. Multivariable logistic regression models were then used to primarily assess the relationship between SES and surgical complications within one year of index THA., Results: Of 111,359 patients who underwent elective primary THA, those in the lower SES groups had statistically significantly more comorbidities and statistically significantly more postoperative complications. While there was no increase in readmission rates within 90 days, there was a statistically significant difference in the primary and secondary outcomes including all revisions due (with a subset of deep wound infection and dislocation). Results showed that those in the higher SES groups had proportionally more cases performed than those in lower groups. Compared to the highest SES quintile, the lower groups had 61% of the number of hip arthroplasties performed., Conclusion: Patients in lower socioeconomic groups have more comorbidities, fewer absolute number of cases performed, have their procedures performed in lower-volume centres, and ultimately have higher rates of complications. This lack of access and higher rates of complications is a "double hit" to those in lower SES groups, and indicates that we should be concentrating efforts to improve access to surgeons and hospitals where arthroplasty is routinely performed in high numbers. Even in a universal healthcare system where there are no penalties for complications such as readmission, there seems to be an inequality in the access to THA. Cite this article: Bone Joint J  2022;104-B(5):589-597.

Importance: Surgeon sex is associated with differential postoperative outcomes, though the mechanism remains unclear. Sex concordance of surgeons and patients may represent a potential mechanism, given prior associations with physician-patient relationships., Objective: To examine the association between surgeon-patient sex discordance and postoperative outcomes., Design, Setting, and Participants: In this population-based, retrospective cohort study, adult patients 18 years and older undergoing one of 21 common elective or emergent surgical procedures in Ontario, Canada, from 2007 to 2019 were analyzed. Data were analyzed from November 2020 to March 2021., Exposures: Surgeon-patient sex concordance (male surgeon with male patient, female surgeon with female patient) or discordance (male surgeon with female patient, female surgeon with male patient), operationalized as a binary (discordant vs concordant) and 4-level categorical variable., Main Outcomes and Measures: Adverse postoperative outcome, defined as death, readmission, or complication within 30-day following surgery. Secondary outcomes assessed each of these metrics individually. Generalized estimating equations with clustering at the level of the surgical procedure were used to account for differences between procedures, and subgroup analyses were performed according to procedure, patient, surgeon, and hospital characteristics., Results: Among 1 320 108 patients treated by 2937 surgeons, 602 560 patients were sex concordant with their surgeon (male surgeon with male patient, 509 634; female surgeon with female patient, 92 926) while 717 548 were sex discordant (male surgeon with female patient, 667 279; female surgeon with male patient, 50 269). A total of 189 390 patients (14.9%) experienced 1 or more adverse postoperative outcomes. Sex discordance between surgeon and patient was associated with a significant increased likelihood of composite adverse postoperative outcomes (adjusted odds ratio [aOR], 1.07; 95% CI, 1.04-1.09), as well as death (aOR, 1.07; 95% CI, 1.02-1.13), and complications (aOR, 1.09; 95% CI, 1.07-1.11) but not readmission (aOR, 1.02; 95% CI, 0.98-1.07). While associations were consistent across most subgroups, patient sex significantly modified this association, with worse outcomes for female patients treated by male surgeons (compared with female patients treated by female surgeons: aOR, 1.15; 95% CI, 1.10-1.20) but not male patients treated by female surgeons (compared with male patients treated by male surgeons: aOR, 0.99; 95% CI, 0.95-1.03) (P for interaction = .004)., Conclusions and Relevance: In this study, sex discordance between surgeons and patients negatively affected outcomes following common procedures. Subgroup analyses demonstrate that this is driven by worse outcomes among female patients treated by male surgeons. Further work should seek to understand the underlying mechanism.

Importance: Severe obesity is a risk factor for major early complications after total hip arthroplasty (THA)., Objective: To determine the association between surgeon experience with THA in patients with severe obesity and risk of complications., Design, Setting, and Participants: This retrospective population-based cohort study was performed in Ontario, Canada, from April 1, 2007, to March 31, 2017, with data analysis performed from March 2020 to January 2021. A cohort of patients who received a primary THA for osteoarthritis and who also had severe obesity (body mass index [calculated as weight in kilograms divided by height in meters squared] ≥40) at the time of surgery was defined. These patients were identified using the Canadian Institute for Health Information Discharge Abstract Database and physician claims from the Ontario Health Insurance Plan. Generalized estimating equations were used to determine the association between overall THA and severe obesity-specific THA surgeon volume and the occurrence of complications after controlling for potential confounders. The study hypothesized that surgeon experience specific to patients with severe obesity could further reduce the risk of complications., Exposures: Primary THA., Main Outcomes and Measures: Complications were considered as a composite outcome (revision, infection requiring surgery, or dislocation requiring reduction), within 1 year of surgery. This was defined before the study, as was the study hypothesis., Results: A total of 4781 eligible patients was identified. The median age was 63 (interquartile range [IQR], 56-69) years, and 3050 patients (63.8%) were women. Overall, 186 patients (3.9%) experienced a surgical complication within 1 year of surgery. The median overall THA surgeon volume was 70 (IQR, 46-106) cases/y, whereas the median obesity-specific surgeon volume was 5 (IQR, 2-9) cases/y. After controlling for patient and hospital factors, greater obesity-specific THA surgeon volume (adjusted odds ratio per additional 10 cases, 0.65 [95% CI, 0.47-0.89]; P = .007), but not greater overall THA surgeon volume (adjusted odds ratio per 10 additional cases, 0.97 [95% CI, 0.93-1.02]; P = .24), was associated with a reduced risk of complication., Conclusions and Relevance: Increased surgeon experience performing THA in patients with severe obesity was associated with fewer major surgical complications. These findings suggest that surgeon experience is required to mitigate the unique anatomical challenges posed by surgery in patients with severe obesity. Referral pathways for patients with severe obesity to surgeons with high obesity-specific THA volume should be considered.

Background: The aim of this study was to examine the relationship between surgeon age and early surgical complications following primary total hip arthroplasty (THA), within a year, in Ontario, Canada., Methods: In a propensity-matched cohort, we defined consecutive adults who received their first primary THA for osteoarthritis (2002-2018). We obtained hospital discharge abstracts, patient's demographics and physician claims. Age of the primary surgeon was determined for each procedure and used as a continuous variable for spline analysis, and as a categorical variable for subsequent matching (young <45; middle-age 45-55; older >55). The primary outcome was early surgical complications (revision, dislocation, infection). Secondary analyses included high-volume vs low-volume surgeons (≤35 THA per year)., Results: We identified 122,043 THA recipients, 298 surgeons with median age 49 years. Younger, middle-aged, and older surgeons performed 39%, 29%, and 32% THAs, respectively. Middle-aged surgeons had the lowest rate of complications. Younger surgeons had a higher risk of composite complications (odds ratio [OR] 1.25, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.09-1.44, P = .002), revision (OR 1.28, 95% CI 1.07-1.54, P = .007), and infection (OR 1.39, 95% CI 1.12-1.71, P = .003). Older surgeons also had higher risk for composite complications (OR 1.18, 95% CI 1.03-1.36, P = .019), revision (OR 1.33, 95% CI 1.10-1.62, P = .004), and dislocation (OR 1.37, 95% CI 1.08-1.73, P = .009). However, when excluding low-volume surgeons, older high-volume surgeons had similar complications to middle-aged surgeons., Conclusion: Younger surgeons (<45 years) had the highest recorded complications rate while the lowest rate was for surgeons aged 45-55. Volume rather than age was more important in determining rate of complications of older surgeons., Level of Evidence: IV., (Crown Copyright © 2020. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Aims: Echocardiography is commonly used in hip fracture patients to evaluate perioperative cardiac risk. However, echocardiography that delays surgical repair may be harmful. The objective of this study was to compare surgical wait times, mortality, length of stay (LOS), and healthcare costs for similar hip fracture patients evaluated with and without preoperative echocardiograms., Methods: A population-based, matched cohort study of all hip fracture patients (aged over 45 years) in Ontario, Canada between 2009 and 2014 was conducted. The primary exposure was preoperative echocardiography (occurring between hospital admission and surgery). Mortality rates, surgical wait times, postoperative LOS, and medical costs (expressed as 2013$ CAN) up to one year postoperatively were assessed after propensity-score matching., Results: A total of 2,354 of 42,230 (5.6%) eligible hip fracture patients received a preoperative echocardiogram during the study period. Echocardiography ordering practices varied among hospitals, ranging from 0% to 23.0% of hip fracture patients at different hospital sites. After successfully matching 2,298 (97.6%) patients, echocardiography was associated with significantly increased risks of mortality at 90 days (20.1% vs 16.8%; p = 0.004) and one year (32.9% vs 27.8%; p < 0.001), but not at 30 days (11.4% vs 9.8%; p = 0.084). Patients with echocardiography also had a mean increased delay from presentation to surgery (68.80 hours (SD 44.23) vs 39.69 hours (SD 27.09); p < 0.001), total LOS (19.49 days (SD 25.39) vs 15.94 days (SD 22.48); p < 0.001), and total healthcare costs at one year ($51,714.69 (SD 54,675.28) vs $41,861.47 (SD 50,854.12); p < 0.001)., Conclusion: Preoperative echocardiography for hip fracture patients is associated with increased postoperative mortality at 90 days and one year but not at 30 days. Preoperative echocardiography is also associated with increased surgical delay, postoperative LOS, and total healthcare costs at one year. Echocardiography should be considered an urgent test when ordered to prevent additional surgical delay. Cite this article: Bone Joint J 2021;103-B(2):271-278.

Background: The aim of this study is to determine whether the high risk of surgical complications within 1 year of total hip arthroplasty (THA) is due to associated comorbidities or morbid obesity alone as measured by body mass index (BMI ≥ 40 kg/m 2 )., Methods: Population-based retrospective cohort study was conducted of all adults in Ontario undergoing primary THA for osteoarthritis (2012-2018). All patients were followed for 1 year. Outcomes were compared among matched groups (hypertension, diabetes, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, frailty, congestive heart failure, coronary artery disease, asthma, and Charlson score). Primary outcome measure was major surgical complications within 1 year (composite of deep infection requiring surgery, dislocation requiring closed or open reduction, and revision surgery)., Results: A total of 3683 patients with morbid obesity were matched and had a significantly greater risk of major complications within 1-year (132 [3.6%] vs 54 [1.5%]; hazard ratio [HR] 2.54, 95% confidence interval [CI]; 1.98-3.25). This included greater risk for deep infection requiring surgery (100 [2.8%] vs 26 [0.7%]; HR 3.85, 95% CI; 2.70-45.48) and revision arthroplasty (86 [2.4%] vs 34 [0.9%]; HR 2.61, 95% CI; 1.92-3.55). Operative time was also longer with a median 116 (99-138) vs 102 (87-121) minutes. There were no significant differences in hospital stay, cost of acute care episode, or medical complications., Conclusion: Patients' large body habitus seems to contribute to the increased risk of surgical complications within 1-year of THA. Future research is needed to identify ways of mitigating surgical complications such as centralizing care for this complex group of patients in specialist centers., (Crown Copyright © 2020. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Background: Slipped capital femoral epiphysis (SCFE) is a well-characterized disorder of the hip seen in adolescent patients. It is characterized by deformity secondary to failure through the proximal femoral growth plate, which results in posterior-inferior displacement of the epiphysis on the proximal femoral metaphysis. Long-term sequelae of SCFE may include osteonecrosis, residual deformity, leg length discrepancy, degenerative joint disease, and chronic pain. The long-term consequences of SCFE may be the source of significant morbidity for the patient, and depending of the local incidence of this condition, may represent a significant expenditure of health care resources. Historically, the true incidence of SCFE within Ontario has been approximated using US-based studies of arguably comparable patient populations. In our study, we aimed to characterize the epidemiology of SCFE in the province of Ontario., Methods: We used a prospectively collected, not-for-profit Ontario research database to identify recorded cases of SCFE between April 1, 2002 and March 31, 2011. Specifically, we identified all hospital discharges with an ICD-9 or 10 diagnostic codes for SCFE in the Canadian Institute for Health Information Discharge Abstract database., Results: Over the 10-year study period, there were 648 cases of SCFE with an average annual incidence rate of 5.68/100,000 in Ontario., Conclusions: We have observed a trend toward decreasing incidence rates of SCFE in Ontario over the last 10 years. The determination for the underlying causes for the changing trends of SCFE may be relevant for initiating public health campaigns directed at reducing the incidence of SCFE LEVEL OF EVIDENCE:: Level IV-epidemiological study.

Importance: Postoperative delirium in older adults receiving hip fracture surgery is associated with morbidity and increased health care costs, yet little is known of potential modifiable factors that may help limit the risks., Objective: To use population-wide individual-level data on the duration of hip fracture surgery to determine whether prolonged surgical times and type of anesthesia are associated with an increased risk of postoperative delirium., Design, Setting, and Participants: This retrospective population-based cohort study analyzed patients aged 65 years and older receiving hip fracture surgery between April 1, 2009, and March 30, 2017, at 80 hospitals in Ontario, Canada. Generalized estimated equations with logistic regression analysis were used to determine the relationship between procedure duration, type of anesthesia, and the occurrence of postoperative delirium. Restricted cubic splines were also generated to visualize this relationship. Data analysis was conducted from July to October 2018, revision in January 2019., Exposure: Surgery duration, measured as the total time in the operating room., Main Outcomes and Measures: A diagnosis of postoperative delirium during hospitalization., Results: Among 68 131 patients with surgically managed hip fracture (median [interquartile range] age, 84 [78-89] years; 72% women) identified, 7150 patients experienced postoperative delirium. In total, 26 853 patients (39.4%) received general anesthesia. Receiving general anesthesia was associated with a slightly higher rate of postoperative delirium compared with not receiving general anesthesia (2943 [11.0%] vs 4207 [10.2%]; P = .001). The risk for delirium increased with increased surgical duration-every 30-minute increase in the duration of surgery was associated with a 6% increase in the risk for delirium (adjusted odds ratio, 1.06; 95% CI, 1.03-1.08; P < .001). Prolonged surgical duration was associated with a higher incidence of postoperative delirium, and the risk was higher was in patients who had received general anesthesia (adjusted odds ratio, 1.08; 95% CI, 1.04-1.12; P < .001) than in those patients who did not receive GA (adjusted odds ratio, 1.04; 95% CI, 1.01-1.08; P = .01)., Conclusions and Relevance: Among older adults receiving hip fracture surgery, both an increased duration of surgery and receiving a general anesthetic were associated with an increased risk for postoperative delirium.

Background: Although a delay of 24 hours for hip fracture repair is associated with medical complications and costs, it is unknown how long patients wait for surgery for hip fracture. We describe novel methods for measuring exact urgent and emergent surgical wait times (in hours) and the factors that influence them., Methods: Adults aged 45 years and older who underwent surgery for hip fracture (the most common urgently performed procedure) in Ontario, Canada, between 2009 and 2014 were eligible. Validated data from linked health administrative databases were used. The primary outcome was the time elapsed from hospital arrival recorded in the National Ambulatory Care Reporting System until the time of surgery recorded in the Discharge Abstract Database (in hours). The influence of patient, physician and hospital factors on wait times was investigated using 3-level, hierarchical linear regression models., Results: Among 42 230 patients with hip fracture, the mean (SD) wait time for surgery was 38.76 (28.84) hours, and 14 174 (33.5%) patients underwent surgery within 24 hours. Variables strongly associated with delay included time for hospital transfer (adjusted increase of 26.23 h, 95% CI 25.38 to 27.01) and time for preoperative echocardiography (adjusted increase of 18.56 h, 95% CI 17.73 to 19.38). More than half of the hospitals (37 of 72, 51.4%), compared with 4.8% of surgeons and 0.2% of anesthesiologists, showed significant differences in the risk-adjusted likelihood of delayed surgery., Interpretation: Exact wait times for urgent and emergent surgery can be measured using Canada's administrative data. Only one-third of patients received surgery within the safe time frame (24 h). Wait times varied according to hospital and physician factors; however, hospital factors had a larger impact., Competing Interests: Competing interests: None declared., (© 2018 Joule Inc. or its licensors.)

Importance: Overlapping surgery, also known as double-booking, refers to a controversial practice in which a single attending surgeon supervises 2 or more operations, in different operating rooms, at the same time., Objective: To determine if overlapping surgery is associated with greater risk for complications following surgical treatment for hip fracture and arthritis., Design, Setting, and Participants: This was a retrospective population-based cohort study in Ontario, Canada (population, 13.6 million), for the years 2009 to 2014. There was 1 year of follow-up. This study encompassed 2 large cohorts. The "hip fracture" cohort captured all persons older than 60 years who underwent surgery for a hip fracture during the study period. The "total hip arthroplasty" (THA) cohort captured all primary elective THA recipients for arthritis during the study period. We matched overlapping and nonoverlapping hip fractures by patient age, patient sex, surgical procedure (for the hip fracture cohort), primary surgeon, and hospital., Exposures: Procedures were identified as overlapping if they overlapped with another surgical procedure performed by the same primary attending surgeon by more than 30 minutes., Main Outcomes and Measures: Complication (infection, revision, dislocation) within 1 year., Results: There were 38 008 hip fractures, and of those, 960 (2.5%) were overlapping (mean age of patients, 66 years [interquartile range, 57-74 years]; 503 [52.4%] were female). There were 52 869 THAs and of those, 1560 (3.0%) overlapping (mean age, 84 years [interquartile range, 77-89 years]; 1293 [82.9%] were female). After matching, overlapping hip fracture procedures had a greater risk for a complication (hazard ratio [HR], 1.85; 95% CI, 1.27-2.71; P = .001), as did overlapping THA procedures (HR, 1.79; 95% CI, 1.02-3.14; P = .04). Among overlapping hip fracture operations, increasing duration of operative overlap was associated with increasing risk for complications (adjusted odds ratio, 1.07 per 10-minute increase in overlap; P = .009)., Conclusions and Relevance: Overlapping surgery was relatively rare but was associated with an increased risk for surgical complications. Furthermore, increasing duration of operative overlap was associated with an increasing risk for complications. These findings support the notion that overlapping provision of surgery should be part of the informed consent process.

Objective: Therapeutic intraarticular injections are used in the management of hip osteoarthritis (OA). Some studies suggest that their use increases the risk of infection and subsequent revision surgery after primary total hip arthroplasty (THA), while others do not. We undertook this study to clarify the relationship between prior intraarticular injection and the risk of complication in a subsequent primary THA., Methods: In a cohort of patients with hip OA who underwent a primary elective THA between 2002 and 2009, we identified those who received ≥1 intraarticular injection performed by a radiologist in the 5 years preceding their THA. Multivariable Cox proportional hazards models were used to determine the relationship between receipt of a presurgical injection (no injection, 1-5 years prior to THA, or <1 year prior to THA) and the occurrence of postsurgical joint infection and revision THA in the following 2 years, while controlling for confounders., Results: Of 37,881 eligible THA recipients, 2,468 (6.5%) received an intraarticular injection performed by a radiologist within 5 years of their THA (1,691 at <1 year, 777 at 1-5 years). Controlling for age, sex, comorbidity, frailty, income, and provider volume, those who had an injection in the year preceding surgery were at increased risk of infection (adjusted hazard ratio [HR] 1.37, P = 0.03) and revision THA (adjusted HR 1.53, P = 0.03) within 2 years of the primary THA, relative to patients who did not. The association between prior injection and revision arthroplasty was attenuated and became nonsignificant (adjusted HR 1.41, P = 0.13) after occurrence of postoperative infection was controlled for in the regression model. No effect was found for injection 1-5 years prior to surgery., Conclusion: Intraarticular injection in the year preceding THA independently predicted increased risk of infection leading to early revision surgery. Further studies are warranted to elucidate explanations for these findings., (Copyright © 2015 by the American College of Rheumatology.)

Objective: To examine whether total joint arthroplasty of the hip and knee reduces the risk for serious cardiovascular events in patients with moderate-severe osteoarthritis., Design: Propensity score matched landmark analysis., Setting: Ontario, Canada., Participants: 2200 adults with hip or knee osteoarthritis aged 55 or more at recruitment (1996-98) and followed prospectively until death or 2011., Main Outcome Measure: Rates of serious cardiovascular events for those who received a primary total joint arthroplasty compared with those did not within an exposure period of three years after baseline assessment., Results: The propensity score matched cohort consisted of 153 matched pairs of participants with moderate-severe arthritis. Over a median follow-up period of seven years after the landmark date (start of the study), matched participants who underwent a total joint arthroplasty during the exposure period were significantly less likely than those who did not to experience a cardiovascular event (hazards ratio 0.56, 95% confidence interval 0.43 to 0.74, P<0.001). Within seven years of the exposure period the absolute risk reduction was 12.4% (95% confidence interval 1.7% to 23.1%) and number needed to treat was 8 (95% confidence interval 4 to 57 patients)., Conclusions: Using a propensity matched landmark analysis in a population cohort with advanced hip or knee osteoarthritis, this study found a cardioprotective benefit of primary elective total joint arthroplasty.

Study Design: Clinical case series., Objective: The primary objective of this study was to evaluate the clinical accuracy of computer-assisted two-dimensional fluoroscopy (2D-CAS) for the percutaneous placement of lumbosacral pedicle screws., Summary of Background Data: Loss of visual anatomic landmarks and reduced tactile feedback increases the risk of pedicle screw misplacement by when using minimally invasive (MIS) percutaneous techniques. However, objective data on screw misplacement in this scenario is lacking., Methods: A MIS-2D-CAS technique (FluoroNav) was used for the placement of pedicle screws in 41 consecutive patients undergoing MIS-interbody instrumented fusion. Postoperative computerized tomography (CT) was obtained in all patients at 6 months after surgery and was evaluated by 3 observers. The relative position of the screw to the pedicle was graded regarding pedicle breach (I, no breach; II, <2 mm; III, 2-4 mm; IV, >4 mm), breach direction, vertebral body perforation and screw trajectory. Interobserver reliability of CT grading was assessed with kappa statistics., Results: A total of 161 screws were placed. No neurologic, vascular, or visceral injuries occurred. About 37 (23%) screws breached the pedicle. The majority (83.8%, 31/37) of breaches were graded II. There were 5 Grade III and 1 Grade IV breaches. Medial versus lateral breaches occurred in 30% (11/37) and 60% (22/37), respectively; 10% (4/37) of the breaches were superior. Overall, 8 (5%) vertebral body breaches occurred. Of the pedicle screws, 19 (12%) had trajectories that deviated from acceptable, with the majority being medial (16/19, 84%). Fluoroscopy time for screw placement was typically less than 20 seconds total per case. There was 1 clinically significant breach at L5 (III, medial) which resulted in a L5 radiculopathy. Kappa statistics showed excellent overall agreement between reviewers (k = 0.73-0.92; 90%-96% agreement)., Conclusion: The two-dimensional (2D) virtual fluoroscopy is a clinically acceptable option for percutaneous placement of pedicle screws. However, this technique requires cautious application and is particularly vulnerable to axial trajectory errors.