Cost-Effectiveness of Initial Revision Digit Amputation Performed in the Emergency Department Versus the Operating Room

Development and external validation of a prediction model for digit replantation failure after traumatic amputations based on a prospective multicenter cohort

BACKGROUND

Failure of digit replantation after traumatic amputation is difficult to predict. The authors aimed to develop a prognostic model to better identify factors that better predict replantation failure following traumatic digit amputation.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

In this multicenter prospective cohort, the authors identified patients who had received digit replantation between 1 January 2015 and 1 January 2019. Univariable and multivariable analyses were performed successively to identify independently predictive factors for failure of replanted digit. To reduce overfitting, the Bayesian information criterion was used to reduce variables in the original model. Nomograms were created with the reduced model after model selection. This model was then internally validated with bootstrap resampling and further externally validated in validation cohort.

RESULTS

Digit replantation was failed in 101 of 1062 (9.5%) digits and 146 of 1156 digits (12.6%) in the training and validation cohorts, respectively. The authors found that six independent prognostic variables were associated with digit replantation failure: age, mechanism of injury, ischemia duration, smoking status, amputation pattern (complete or incomplete), and surgeon's experience. The prediction model achieved good discrimination, with concordance indexes of 0.81 (95% CI: 0.76-0.85) and 0.70 (95% CI: 0.65-0.74) in predicting digit failure in the training and validation cohorts, respectively. Calibration curves were well-fitted for both training and validation cohorts.

CONCLUSIONS

The proposed prediction model effectively predicted the failure rate of digit replantation for individual digits of all patients. It could assist in selecting the most suitable surgical plan for the patient.

Zone I Revision Finger Amputations Performed in the Emergency Department Compared With Those Performed in the Operating Room

Finger amputations are commonly encountered. These may be revised in the emergency department (ED) or the operating room (OR). Previous studies have demonstrated the cost-effectiveness associated with procedures performed in the ED. Patient outcomes have not been described. We retrospectively reviewed patients who presented to our level 1 trauma center with a traumatic partial or complete finger amputation through flexor tendon zone I. All were treated with revision amputation performed in either the ED or the OR between January 2012 and December 2017. A total of 172 patient charts were included. Ninety-three of the revision amputations were performed in the ED, while 79 were performed in the OR. There was no difference in age, race, sex, having a manual labor job, medical comorbidities, or mechanism of injury between the groups. Compared with procedures performed in the ED, procedures performed in the OR had a higher rate of delayed healing, a longer stay in the hospital, and a higher referral to therapy postoperatively. Length of follow-up and number of follow-up visits were not statistically different based on location of procedure. There was no difference in post-procedural infection rate or need for revision procedure between the groups. Our data support the efficacy of performing revision amputation procedures in the ED. Recorded patient complications and subsequent treatment after revision amputations performed in the ED vs the OR were comparable. Those performed in the ED potentially decrease the burden placed on the patient and the health care system. [Orthopedics. 2024;47(3):152-156.].

Medicare Reimbursement in Hand and Upper Extremity Procedures: A 20-Year Analysis

PURPOSE

Concern exists that Medicare physician fees for procedures have decreased over the past 20 years. The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) is set to re-evaluate these physician fees in the near future for concern that these procedures are overvalued. Our study sought to analyze trends in Medicare reimbursement rates from 2000 to 2019 for the top 20 most billed hand and upper extremity surgical procedures at our institution.

METHODS

The financial database of a single academic tertiary care center was queried to identify the Current Procedural Terminology codes most frequently utilized in orthopedic hand and upper extremity procedures in 2019. The Physician Fee Schedule Look-Up Tool from the CMS was queried for annual physician fee data. Monetary data were adjusted for inflation using the consumer price index of Urban Research Series (CPI-U-RS) and expressed in 2019 constant US dollars (USD). The average annual and total percent change in reimbursement were calculated via linear regression for all procedures (P < .05).

RESULTS

Accounting for inflation, the total average physician reimbursement decreased by 20.9% from 2000 to 2019, with 12 of 20 codes decreasing by more than 20%. The greatest decrease pertained to arthrodesis of the wrist at 33.9%. Upon linear regression, all procedures were found to decrease annually, with arthrodesis of the wrist decreasing by an average of 2.3% annually over this period.

CONCLUSIONS

Over the past 2 decades, physician reimbursement for hand and upper extremity procedures has significantly decreased.

Full-Thickness Skin Graft From an Amputated Part: Review of Successful Treatment of Class III Ring Avulsion Injury at Bedside in the Emergency Department

Urbaniak class III ring avulsion injuries involve significant soft tissue and bone loss. Management typically focuses on immediate, temporary soft tissue coverage followed by a planned trip to the operating room for either amputation or replantation. While soft tissue coverage is of utmost importance, maintenance of digital length, functionality, and cost-effectiveness of viable treatment options should also be considered. The use of soft tissue from amputated structures is well documented, especially in the case of planned surgical amputations. This method has also been known to be used in the case of hand injuries with severe soft tissue compromise; however, there are no known, documented reports of acute treatment of injuries such as ring avulsions with such methods. In this report, we present a case of a class III ring avulsion injury treated utilizing a single-stage, full-thickness skin graft obtained from an amputated part in the emergency department.

The Burden of Fingertip Trauma on the US Military

Fingertip injuries in the military are common and often hinder the fighting force and support personnel. Injuries range from small subungual hematomas to proximal finger amputations. Treatment modalities are dictated by injury patterns, anatomic considerations, and the need to return to duty. Nail bed injuries should be repaired when possible and exposed bone or tendon is treated with appropriate soft tissue coverage. If soft tissue coverage is unobtainable, revision amputation should be performed with attention given to maintaining as much finger length as possible. Antibiotics may not be required, however they are often utilized in the deployed setting.