Implementing a benchmarking and feedback concept decreases postoperative pain after total knee arthroplasty: A prospective study including 256 patients

Global mapping of institutional and hospital-based (Level II-IV) arthroplasty registries: a scoping review

PURPOSE

Four joint arthroplasty registries (JARs) levels exist based on the recorded data type. Level I JARs are national registries that record primary data. Hospital or institutional JARs (Level II-IV) document further data (patient-reported outcomes, demographic, radiographic). A worldwide list of Level II-IV JARs must be created to effectively assess and categorize these data.

METHODS

Our study is a systematic scoping review that followed the PRISMA guidelines and included 648 studies. Based on their publications, the study aimed to map the existing Level II-IV JARs worldwide. The secondary aim was to record their lifetime, publications' number and frequency and recognise differences with national JARs.

RESULTS

One hundred five Level II-IV JARs were identified. Forty-eight hospital-based, 45 institutional, and 12 regional JARs. Fifty JARs were found in America, 39 in Europe, nine in Asia, six in Oceania and one in Africa. They have published 485 cohorts, 91 case-series, 49 case-control, nine cross-sectional studies, eight registry protocols and six randomized trials. Most cohort studies were retrospective. Twenty-three per cent of papers studied patient-reported outcomes, 21.45% surgical complications, 13.73% postoperative clinical and 5.25% radiographic outcomes, and 11.88% were survival analyses. Forty-four JARs have published only one paper. Level I JARs primarily publish implant revision risk annual reports, while Level IV JARs collect comprehensive data to conduct retrospective cohort studies.

CONCLUSIONS

This is the first study mapping all Level II-IV JARs worldwide. Most JARs are found in Europe and America, reporting on retrospective cohorts, but only a few report on studies systematically.

Evaluating and Ranking the Factors Affecting the Acute Pain Management in Older Adults with Dementia after Hip Fracture Surgery: Second-Order Confirmatory Factor Analysis

Background

Even though nurses take various measures to decrease acute pain after surgery in older adults with dementia, it is unclear why most of them suffer from severe pain. This study aimed to evaluate the factors affecting acute pain management in older adults with dementia after hip fracture surgery.

Materials and Methods

This cross-sectional study used single-stage cluster and convenience sampling to select 330 nurses working in hospitals located in Western Mazandaran, Iran, in 2020. The demographic characteristic questionnaire and the Obstacles to Postoperative Pain Management in Dementia Scale (OPOPMDS) were used to collect data.

Results

The study results confirmed the modified model. The second-order Confirmatory Factor Analysis (CFA) indicated that the Critical Ratio (CR) for all three factors was more than 1.96, and the significance level was considered 0.05. Based on the values of standard coefficients, older people-related (β = 0.86, p < 0.001), system-related (β = 0.70, p < 0.001), and healthcare provider-related (β = 0.61, p < 0.001) factors had the highest impacts on the OPOPMD.

Conclusions

The study results suggested that older adult-related factors had the most significant impact on the OPOPMD.

Pain Course after Total Knee Arthroplasty within a Standardized Pain Management Concept: A Prospective Observational Study

BACKGROUND

Joint replacement surgeries have been known to be some of the most painful surgical procedures. Therefore, the options for postoperative pain management are of great importance for patients undergoing total knee arthroplasty (TKA). Despite successful surgery, up to 30% of the patients are not satisfied after the operation. The aim of this study is to assess pain development within the first 4 weeks after TKA in order to gain a better understanding and detect possible influencing factors.

METHODS

A total of 103 patients were included in this prospective cohort study. Postoperative pain was indicated using a numeric rating scale (NRS). Furthermore, demographic data and perioperative parameters were correlated with the reported postoperative pain.

RESULTS

The evaluation of postoperative pain scores showed a constant decrease in the first postoperative week (mean NRS score of 5.8 on day 1 to a mean NRS score of 4.6 on day 8). On day 9, the pain increased again. Thereafter, a continuous decrease in pain intensity from day 10 on was noted (continuous to a mean NRS score of 3.0 on day 29). A significant association was found between postoperative pain intensity and gender, body mass index (BMI), and preoperative leg axis.

CONCLUSIONS

The increasing pain score after the first postoperative week is most likely due to more intensive mobilization and physiotherapy in the rehabilitation department. Patients that were female, had a low BMI, and a preoperative valgus leg axis showed a significantly higher postoperative pain scores. Pain management should consider these results in the future to improve patient satisfaction in the postoperative course after TKA.

Comparison Between Periarticular Analgesia Versus Intraarticular Injection for Effectiveness and Safety After Total Knee Arthroplasty

PURPOSE

In most studies, local infiltration analgesia (LIA) can provide better analgesic effect in the early postoperative period, but the optimal technique is unknown. Our study was designed to evaluated the early clinical efficacy and safety of periarticular analgesia versus intraarticular injection in Total knee arthroplasty (TKA).

DESIGN

A prospective study was conducted on 100 patients admitted for TKA. Subjects were divided into two groups: 50 in group A, 50 in Group B.

METHODS

Patients in group A received periarticular analgesia with ropivacaine 300 mg and morphine 5 mg (the drugs were diluted with saline to 50 ml) in the periosteal borders, posterior capsule and extensor apparatus and subcutaneous tissues during surgery. After stitching of joint capsule, tranexamic acid (TXA) 2 g (20 ml) was injected into the articular cavity. Group B patients had all of the 70 mL mixture (ropivacaine 300 mg, morphine 5 mg and TXA 2 g) injected intraarticularly after stitching of the joint capsule. We assessed postoperative length of stay (LOS), knee functional outcome, pain, and complications after surgery.

FINDINGS

There was no statistical difference in visual analog scale (VAS) scores for knee pain between the two groups on postoperative day (POD)1, 3, or 30 (P > .05). Mean postoperative LOS was 7.40 ± 1.98 days in Group A, compared to 8.02 ± 2.09 days in Group B (P > .05). No significant differences between groups were seen in the mean swelling ratio (P > .05), and no significant differences were found in the Hospital for Special Surgery (HSS) knee score and range of motion (ROM) at 30 days follow-up (P > .05). There was also no statistical difference in the incidence of complications (such as superficial wound infection, deep vein thrombosis (DVT) and nausea and vomiting) between the Group A and the Group B.

CONCLUSIONS

In conclusion, it seems that intraarticular injection had a similar analgesic effect compared with periarticular injection when adopting a multi-modal analgesia regimen. Our results suggest that there is no obvious advantage with the use of periarticular injections compared to intraarticular injection. The authors believe that intraarticular injection may be a better technique compared with periarticular injections in the absence of a drainage tube because intraarticular injection can reduce the number of surgical steps and have similar postoperative outcomes.

Pain monitoring and management in a rehabilitation setting after total joint replacement

Total hip replacement (THR) and, particularly, total knee replacement (TKR), are painful surgical procedures. Effective postoperative pain management leads to a better and earlier functional recovery and prevents chronic pain. Studies on the control of pain during the postoperative rehabilitation period are not common. The aim of this study is to present results of a perioperative anesthetic protocol, and a pain treatment protocol in use in the Orthopaedic and the Rehabilitation intensive units of our Hospital. 100 patients (50 THR and 50 TKR) were retrospectively included in this observational study. Numeric Rating Scale (NRS) for pain at rest registered in the clinical sheet was retrieved for all patients and analyzed with respect to the spinal anaesthesia given for the surgery, local analgesia, analgesia protocol adopted during the postoperative days in the Orthopaedic Unit, the antalgic treatment given during the stay within the Rehabilitation Unit, the postoperative consumption of rescue pain medication, and any collateral effect due to the analgesic therapy. Patients reached standard functional abilities (walking at least 50 meters and climbing/descending stairs) at a mean length of 8 days without medication-related complications. Mean NRS during the time of stay was 1.3 ± 0.3 for THR and 1.3 ± 0.2 for TKR) and maximum mean NRS was 1.8 ± 0.5 for TKR and 1.8 ± 0.6 for THR. The use of rescue therapy in the rehabilitation guard was correlated with the mean NRS pain and the maximum NRS pain. A very good control of pain with the perioperative anesthetic protocol and pain treatment protocol in use was obtained.

Improving Total Joint Replacement with Continuous Quality Improvement Methods and Tools

Faced with increasing pressure to reduce costs, hospitals must find new ways to eliminate waste while simultaneously maintaining the highest quality of care. For any institution, these can types of changes can be complex and burdensome. This article outlines several methods that have been successful in reducing costs while maintaining high quality and highlights feasible methodologies that can help health care providers implement new quality improvement protocols.

Postoperative pain and patient satisfaction are not influenced by daytime and duration of knee and hip arthroplasty: a prospective cohort study

PURPOSE

The number of total hip and knee arthroplasties (THA and TKA) is steadily increasing. Many factors that influence pain have been reported, but little is known about the correlation between the time of day and the duration of surgery and postoperative pain. On one hand, surgical interventions are performed faster due to economic pressure; on the other hand, obtaining sound surgical skills and a thorough education are most important for young surgeons, particularly at university hospitals. Amidst these different interests, it is the patient who should be the focus of all medical efforts. Therefore, our study investigated the effects of the time of day and the duration of total knee and hip arthroplasty on postoperative pain perception and patient satisfaction.

METHODS

623 patients were analyzed 24 h after primary total knee or hip arthroplasty regarding pain, patient satisfaction, and side effects by means of the questionnaires of the German-wide project Quality Improvement in Postoperative Pain Management (QUIPS).

RESULTS

The time of day and the duration of knee or hip arthroplasty were not correlated with maximum, minimum, and activity-related pain and patient satisfaction rated on a numeric rating scale (NRS).

CONCLUSIONS

This study is the first to show that neither the time of day nor the duration of surgery has any influence on patient satisfaction and postoperative pain 24 h after total knee or hip arthroplasty; regarding these aspects, young orthopaedic surgeons may be trained in the operating theatre without time pressure.

The improved quality of postoperative analgesia after intrathecal morphine does not result in improved recovery and quality of life in the first 6 months after orthopedic surgery: a randomized controlled pilot study

Objective

In orthopedic surgery, it is well known that the use of intrathecal morphine (ITM) leads to an improved quality of postoperative analgesia. Little is known how this improved analgesia affects the long-term course after surgery.

Study design

A randomized, double-blind trial.

Setting

Academic medical center.

Subjects

Forty-nine patients undergoing total hip or knee replacement surgery in spinal anesthesia.

Methods

Patients were randomly assigned to receive either 0.1 mg (n=16) or 0.2 mg (n=16) morphine sulfate intrathecally or physiological saline (n=17) added to 3 mL 0.5% isobaric bupivacaine for spinal anesthesia. As a function of the quality of the short-term postoperative analgesia, the effect on recovery and quality of life was evaluated at various time points up to 26 weeks after surgery.

Results

In both ITM groups, the additionally required postoperative systemic morphine dose was significantly reduced compared with the placebo group (P=0.004). One week after operation, patients with ITM reported significantly less pain at rest (P=0.01) compared to the placebo group. At discharge, in comparison with the 0.1 mg ITM and placebo group, the 0.2 mg ITM group showed a higher degree of impairment regarding pain, stiffness, and physical function of the respective joint (P=0.02). Over the further follow-up period of 6 months after surgery, recovery and the quality of life did not differ significantly between the three study groups (P>0.2).

Conclusion

Morphine (0.1 mg) as adjunct to 0.5% bupivacaine for spinal anesthesia is effective to produce a pronounced postoperative analgesia with a beneficial analgesic effect up to 1 week after surgery. With this study design, the different quality of postoperative analgesia had no effect on quality of life and recovery in patients over the 6-month follow-up period. In the medium term, ITM may induce hyperalgesic effects.