Hip and Knee Arthroplasty

Risk of Postoperative Nausea and Vomiting After Total Hip or Knee Arthroplasty Under Spinal Anesthesia: Randomized Trial Comparing Conventional Antiemetics with or without the EmeTerm Bracelet

BACKGROUND

Acupoint stimulation has been shown to reduce the risk of postoperative nausea and vomiting (PONV) after various types of surgeries involving general anesthesia, but whether the same is true after orthopaedic surgery involving spinal anesthesia is unclear. The purpose of this study was to compare PONV rates and the quality of recovery between patients undergoing total hip arthroplasty (THA) or total knee arthroplasty (TKA) under spinal anesthesia receiving conventional antiemetics alone and those receiving antiemetics combined with use of a transcutaneous electrical acupoint stimulation bracelet (EmeTerm; WAT Medical Enterprise).

METHODS

Patients at moderate or high risk for PONV, including 195 patients undergoing THA and 153 patients undergoing TKA, were randomized to receive routine antiemetics (dexamethasone and ondansetron) alone or with use of the EmeTerm bracelet. The primary outcome was the PONV incidence within 24 hours postoperatively; secondary outcomes included the rates of severe PONV, antiemetic rescue, adverse events, and Quality of Recovery scores.

RESULTS

Combining antiemetics with the EmeTerm bracelet significantly reduced PONV (16.0% compared with 31.2%; p = 0.001), severe PONV (1.1% compared with 8.1%; p = 0.002), and antiemetic rescue (3.4% compared with 13.9%; p = 0.001). Use of the bracelet reduced the risk of PONV within 24 hours by 61% (adjusted hazard ratio, 0.39; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.24 to 0.63), and its benefit became significant at 0 to 3 and 3 to 6-hour intervals after surgery. The complete response rate was higher for the bracelet + antiemetics group compared with the group with antiemetics alone (84.0% compared with 68.8%; p = 0.001), with better Quality of Recovery scores at 24 hours in the bracelet + antiemetics group.

CONCLUSIONS

The EmeTerm bracelet enhanced the efficacy of antiemetics in reducing PONV after THA and TKA under spinal anesthesia and may improve short-term recovery.

LEVEL OF EVIDENCE

Therapeutic Level I . See Instructions for Authors for a complete description of levels of evidence.

Impact of enhanced recovery after surgery on psychological outcomes in total hip arthroplasty

BACKGROUND

The occurrence of pain catastrophizing, depression, and anxiety is prevalent among patients undergoing primary total hip arthroplasty (THA). The Enhanced Recovery After Surgery protocol (ERAS-P) has demonstrated its efficacy in alleviating peri-operative stress responses in such patients. This study endeavors to explore the influence of ERAS-P on patient satisfaction, as well as the levels of pain catastrophizing, surgery-related anxiety, and depression following primary THA.

HYPOTHESIS

ERAS-P exerts a beneficial influence on patient satisfaction, mitigating pain catastrophizing, and reducing surgery-related anxiety and depression following primary THA.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

Data were retrospectively reviewed for patients who underwent primary THA between 2017 and 2020. Patients in the control group who received usual care were matched in a 1:1 ratio for baseline characteristics to patients in the ERAS-P group who followed ERAS-P. All patients were evaluated and analyzed for pain catastrophizing, depression and anxiety using the Pain Catastrophizing Scale (PCS) and Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS) at postoperative 1 weeks, 6 weeks, 3 months, 6 months and 1 year.

RESULTS

182 patients in the ERAS-P group and 182 in the control group were analyzed using propensity score matching (PSM). Compared to the control group, ERAS-P patients showed significantly higher satisfaction levels (p = 0.002). They also experienced a notable reduction in pain catastrophizing at 1 week, 6 weeks, and 3 months postoperatively (p < 0.05 for all). Anxiety levels decreased markedly at 1 week and 6 weeks (p < 0.001 for both). Depression scores in the ERAS-P group declined significantly at these same time points up to 6 months (p < 0.05 for all). Remarkably, ERAS-P patients exhibited a greater decrease in peri-operative pain catastrophizing and anxiety, accompanied by a faster recovery. However, its effectiveness waned over time, with both groups reporting comparable outcomes within a few months.

DISCUSSION

Patients undergoing THA after adhering to the ERAS-P exhibit a more favorable outcome in improving peri-operative patient-reported depression, anxiety, and pain catastrophizing screenings compared to those following the traditional care scheme. Although these advantages gradually diminished over time, the outcomes for both groups converged to be similar within a few months. Nonetheless, ERAS-P retains its notable advantages for THA patients who grapple with psychological symptoms.

LEVEL OF EVIDENCE

III.

Stress, Resilience, Sexual Functioning and Quality of Life in Patients Undergoing Arthroplasty and Arthroscopy

Background

In India, the incidence of orthopaedic conditions is significantly increasing, with 63 million people suffering from various orthopaedic issues, causing considerable distress to patients. This study aims to assess stress, resilience, sexual functioning, and quality of life in participants who underwent arthroplasty and arthroscopy surgery at baseline, one month, and three months.

Method

This comparative study utilised the Perceived Stress Scale (PSS), Connor-Davidson Resilience Scale, Sexual Function Scale, and the WHO Quality of Life Scale.

Results

The comparison between arthroscopy and arthroplasty reveals distinct patterns in stress, resilience, sexual functioning, and quality of life. For both procedures, stress levels were higher at baseline and one-month post-surgery but decreased by three months. Resilience scores improved consistently over time in both groups. However, sexual functioning and quality of life showed different trends: while sexual functioning initially decreased post-arthroscopy but improved by three months, arthroplasty participants generally experienced a more consistent improvement in both sexual functioning and quality of life from baseline through the follow-up periods.

Conclusion

The study showed that stress was significantly higher at baseline and one-month post-surgery. However, the trends in sexual functioning and quality of life differed between the two types of surgery. These findings highlight the need for tailored patient support and interventions based on the type of orthopaedic procedure performed.

Incidental findings in preoperative computed tomography images of robotic-assisted total joint replacement: a multi-center retrospective study

BACKGROUND

The majority of robot-assisted total joint arthroplasties necessitate preoperative computed tomography (CT) scans. Incidental findings in these CT scans can introduce complexity into clinical treatment decisions. Consequently, this study sought to document the nature and frequency of incidental findings identified in preoperative CT imaging conducted for robot-assisted total joint arthroplasty, along with their impact on planned surgical procedures.

METHODS

This investigation constitutes a retrospective review encompassing patients who underwent primary robot-assisted total hip arthroplasty between January 2020 and January 2022 at the Second Affiliated Hospital of Xi'an Jiaotong University, the First Affiliated Hospital of Peking University, and Nanfang Hospital. It also includes patients who underwent robot-assisted total knee arthroplasty during the same period at the Second Affiliated Hospital of Xi'an Jiaotong University, the Third Affiliated Hospital of Peking University, Nanfang Hospital, and the Second Affiliated Hospital of Zhejiang University. All CT examinations were initially interpreted by proficient musculoskeletal radiologists. Subsequently, the findings in the examination reports, whether significant or non-significant, were compiled and categorized.

RESULTS

A total of 218 patients, median age 63, were evaluated; 90 had incidental findings (41.3%), with 56 (25.7%) significant. Males were more likely to have findings (P = 0.001). Nine needed additional imaging, and five required intervention.Our study highlights the impact of unexpected CT findings on surgical planning, which can delay or cancel surgeries and affect patient outcomes. It also urges surgeons to review medical histories and perform thorough examinations before surgery to prevent serious consequences.

CONCLUSIONS

Radiologists often find incidental findings in preoperative CT scans for robot-assisted joint arthroplasty, with a 41.3% incidence rate. About 25.7% of these findings need physician follow-up, and under 5% require intervention, potentially causing delays or cancellations of procedures, while undetected findings could lead to fatal outcomes.Unexpected preoperative CT findings can enhance patient management and prevent complications, necessitating their inclusion in surgical protocols. Systematic assessment improves safety and outcomes, urging surgeons to review medical history and perform thorough examinations pre-surgery.

CLINICAL TRIAL REGISTRATION

Clinical trial registration time: 19/05/2022, clinical trial registration number: ChiCTR2200060115.

Enhanced recovery after surgery for hip and knee arthroplasty: A systematic review and meta-analysis on randomized control trials

OBJECTIVES

This review aimed to compare the efficacy and safety of enhanced recovery after surgery (ERAS) versus traditional care in patients who underwent total hip arthroplasty (THA) and total knee arthroplasty (TKA).

METHODS

All randomized controlled trials (RCTs) were acquired via a comprehensive search of multiple databases. A meta-analysis was performed using Cochrane Collaboration's RevMan 5.4 software to calculate effect sizes.

RESULTS

This meta-analysis included 850 patients in the ERAS group and 845 patients in the control group (patients who received traditional care). The outcomes suggested no significant difference in operative time, intraoperative blood loss, visual analogue scale, 30-day readmission rate, and mortality rate between the two groups. However, the ERAS group was associated with a significant decrease in transfusion rate, hospital length of stay, and postoperative complications. Moreover, the ERAS group had higher Hospital for Special Surgery scores and satisfaction rates.

CONCLUSIONS

Patients who underwent THA and TKA would benefit more from ERAS than traditional care.

Safety of blood reinfusion drains after local infiltration analgesia in total joint replacement

BACKGROUND

Local infiltration analgesia (LIA) is frequently administered to patient undergoing joint replacement surgical procedures. The aim of the present research was to verify the safety of collected shed blood to be reinfused postoperatively, by measuring levobupivacaine levels in drainage blood in patients undergoing LIA during knee replacement surgery.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

24 patients who underwent total knee arthroplasty (TKA) and 12 scheduled for total hip arthroplasty (THA) who received intraoperative LIA were considered. Blood samples were collected from shed blood which was present in drainage 2 and 5 hours after surgery and serum was analysed by liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry.

RESULTS

At 2 hours postoperatively, the median levobupivacaine serum concentration in the collected shed blood was 1.2 mg/L (SD: 4.2) for TKA and 17.13 mg/L (SD: 24.4) for THA. At 5 hours, levobupivacaine concentration was 1.84 mg/L (SD: 2.2) for TKA and 17.5 mg/L (SD: 25.2) for THA. Higher values of average serum levobupivacaine concentration were reported in drains collected from patients who had undergone THA compared to TKA (p<0.001). BMI significantly influenced levels of serum drug, that resulted to be higher in patients with BMI<25 (p= 0.01).

CONCLUSION

Levobupivacaine from collected shed blood that would have been returned to the patient, was below toxicity level at 2 and 5 hours after LIA during total joint replacement. The average serum levobupivacaine concentration was found to be higher in drains taken from THA patients than TKA patients. Patients with lower BMI demonstrated the highest levels of levobupivacaine in shed blood and a lower blood volume needed for central nervous system toxicity. Therefore, in patients with a lower BMI undergoing THA, anaesthetic dosage should be reduced or autotransfusion should be avoided to prevent potential risks of toxicity.

Risk Factors for Unexpected Conversion From Ambulatory to Inpatient Admission Among One-level or Two-level ACDF Patients

STUDY DESIGN/SETTING

A retrospective observational study.

OBJECTIVE

The aim of this study was to investigate the factors associated with the conversion of patient status from ambulatory anterior cervical discectomy and fusion (ACDF) to inpatient.

SUMMARY OF BACKGROUND DATA

Surgeries are increasingly performed in an ambulatory setting in an era of rising healthcare costs and pressure to improve patient satisfaction. ACDF is a common ambulatory cervical spine surgery, however, there are certain patients who are unexpectedly converted from an outpatient procedure to inpatient admission and little is known about the risk factors for conversion.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Patients who underwent one-level or two-level ACDF in an ambulatory setting at a single specialized orthopedic hospital between February 2016 to December 2021 were included. Baseline demographics, surgical information, complications, and conversion reasons were compared between patients with ambulatory surgery or observational stay (stay <48 h) and inpatient (stay >48 h).

RESULTS

In total, 662 patients underwent one-level or two-level ACDF (median age, 52 yr; 59.5% were male), 494 (74.6%) patients were discharged within 48 hours and 168 (25.4%) patients converted to inpatient. Multivariable logistic regression analysis demonstrated that females, low body mass index <25, American Society of Anesthesiologists classification (ASA) ≥3, long operation, high estimated blood loss, upper-level surgery, two-level fusion, late operation start time, and high postoperative pain score were considered independent risk factors for conversion to inpatient. Pain management was the most common reason for the conversion (80.0%). Ten patients (1.5%) needed reintubation or remained intubated for airway management.

CONCLUSIONS

Several independent risk factors for prolonged hospital stay after ambulatory ACDF surgery were identified. Although some factors are unmodifiable, other factors, such as procedure duration, operation start time, and blood loss could be potential targets for intervention. Surgeons should be aware of the potential for life-threatening airway complications in ambulatory-scheduled ACDF.

A Comprehensive Research on the Prevalence and Evolution Trend of Orthopedic Surgeries in Romania

Accurate knowledge of the prevalence and trends of orthopedic surgeries can facilitate the design of medical plans for effective treatments. The National Endoprosthetic Registry (NER) in Romania provides statistics on endoprosthetic activity (hip, knee), cases of fractures and bone tumors as a result of the legal obligations to report interventions performed by all orthopedic traumatology hospitals/wards in the country. The aim of this study is to describe the annual volumes of orthopedic surgeries between 2001 and 2022 in Romania and analyze the current and future evolution trends of the studied surgeries, gender differences and regional differences based on a complete survey carried out at a national level. For the period 2001-2022, we extracted from the NER the annual volumes of orthopedic interventions performed. With these data, we studied the prevalence and estimated, with the support of an original calculation methodology, the variation trends of orthopedic surgeries in two situations: over the entire 21-year period, respectively, and over the period 2001-2020, which does not include the pandemic period. For hip replacement surgery and knee replacement surgery, we showed the prevalence by subcategory of interventions, gender distribution, regional prevalence and regional density calculated by the annual averages of the total number of cases reported per 100,000 people in the 40 counties of the country and the capital, Bucharest. We also determined the variations in hip and knee arthroplasty revision burdens, calculated as a percentage between the number of revisions and the number of primary interventions in the same period. We determined the regional densities of revision burdens. The total number of orthopedic surgeries in the period 2001-2022 was 1,557,247, of which 189,881 were hip replacement surgeries; 51,035 were knee replacement surgeries; 11,085 were revision hip arthroplasty; 1497 were revision knee arthroplasty; 541,440 were operated fractures; and 16,418 were operated bone tumors. The growth rates of surgical interventions are hip replacement surgery, +8.19%; knee replacement surgery, +19.55%; revision hip arthroplasty, +9.43%; and revision knee arthroplasty, +28.57%. With these data, we have estimated a doubling of the volume of primary and revision interventions of the hip until 2034 and the knee until 2027, respectively. Operated bone tumors register an annual decrease of -4.52% thanks to modern treatments. There are clear gender differences; for primary hip interventions, the proportion of women is 58.82%, and for knee interventions, the proportion of women is 76.42%. This is the first research that, with the support of exhaustive data from the NER, analyzes for the period 2001-2022 the annual number of orthopedic surgeries in Romania. It allows knowledge of the large, anticipated increases in orthopedic surgery and provides a quantitative basis for future policy decisions related to the need for medical personnel and material resources.