Safety of one-stage bilateral total knee arthroplasty -one surgeon sequential vs. two surgeons simultaneous: a randomized controlled study

Can an Enhanced Recovery Protocol Result in a Safe and Effective Outpatient Simultaneous Bilateral Total Knee Arthroplasty?

BACKGROUND

Outpatient total knee arthroplasty (OP TKA) is found to benefit patients as well as the health care system. Studies on OP TKA have been limited to unilateral total knee arthroplasty (TKA). This study aimed to determine if enhanced recovery after surgery (ERAS) protocols can result in performing simultaneous bilateral TKA (SBTKA) safely and effectively in the OP setting.

METHODS

This retrospective study compared patients who underwent SBTKA in an OP setting (OP group, n = 100) using an ERAS protocol from April 1, 2021, to June 30, 2022, and a propensity-matched historical group (inpatient group, n = 100) operated in an inpatient setting via conventional protocol from July 1, 2019, to June 30, 2020. The complication rate, readmission rate, visual analog score (VAS), range of motion (ROM), and Knee Society Score (KSS) were compared between the groups in the early postoperative and follow-up periods up to 1 year.

RESULTS

We found a comparable complication rate (4 versus 7%, P = .4) and readmission rate (2 versus 3%, P = .7). The VAS score was significantly lower in the OP group on day 1, day 2, day 7, and day 14 postsurgery (P < .001). The KSS and ROM were significantly better in the OP group after 14 days (P < .001). The VAS, KSS, and ROM were comparable between the groups at 1 month and later follow-up periods (P > .05).

CONCLUSIONS

An ERAS protocol in SBTKA patients resulted in safe same-day discharge with better early functional outcomes compared with conventional practices. The results from similar future studies can alleviate surgeon and patient concerns about OP TKA.

Bilateral Total Ankle Arthroplasty

Patients with bilateral ankle arthritis have higher rates of primary and secondary/inflammatory arthritis and a more debilitating condition than those with unilateral pathology. The limited bilateral total ankle arthroplasty (TAA) literature supports both 1-surgeon and 2-surgeon team bilateral TAAs as safe and effective with comparable improvements in patient-reported outcome measures (PROMs), complications, reoperations, and prosthesis survival as unilateral TAA and staged bilateral TAA. Additional benefits of bilateral arthroplasty supported in the hip and knee literature include cost reduction, noninferior and even superior perioperative complication profiles, improved PROM and satisfaction, shorter recovery time, early rehabilitation, and less time away from employment.

Simultaneous Bilateral Open-Globe Repair and Vitreoretinal Surgery for Explosive-Related Ocular Injury

Purpose: To report an approach to explosive injuries with simultaneous, co-surgeon bilateral ruptured globe repair and pars plana vitrectomy for bilateral intraocular foreign bodies (IOFBs). Methods: A case and its findings were analyzed. Results: A 31-year-old man had bilateral vision loss after an air compressor malfunction that caused a high-pressure explosion to his face. An examination showed bilateral open-globe injuries and IOFBs, necessitating urgent repair. Given the risk for endophthalmitis and the need for expeditious repair, open-globe repair surgery was performed in both eyes simultaneously by co-surgeons followed by pars plana lensectomy, vitrectomy with IOFB removal, and silicone oil placement. The final visual acuity after bilateral scleral-fixated intraocular lens implantation was 20/20 OD and 20/25 OS. Conclusions: This case of bilateral open-globe injuries and IOFBs required expeditious repair with bilateral, simultaneous surgery that ultimately resulted in excellent visual outcomes. Simultaneous surgery may be an option for bilateral ocular trauma.

Comparison of safety and efficiency between sequential simultaneous bilateral and staged bilateral total knee arthroplasty at a high-volume center: a retrospective cohort study

The treatment strategy remains controversial for bilateral end-stage osteoarthritis, particularly with regard to patient safety. The aim of this study was to compare the safety and clinical results of sequential simultaneous bilateral total knee arthroplasty (ssBTKA) and staged bilateral total knee arthroplasty (staBTKA). Patients who underwent either simultaneous (n=168) or staged (n=63) bilateral total knee arthroplasty in a single center between February 2017 and April 2021 were identified retrospectively. Data related to age, gender, body mass index, ASA score, comorbidities, operative time, transfusion rate, length of stay, knee range of motion (ROM), Knee Society Score (KSS), complications, and mortality rates were evaluated. Mean follow-up duration was 39.0±14.7 months. Preoperative characteristics were similar among cohorts. Transfused units were significantly higher in the ssBTKA group (p<0.001). Operative time and length of stay were significantly higher in the staBTKA group (respectively, p<0.001 and p=0.004). Complication rates (except superficial infection rate which was significantly higher in the staBTKA group), revision rates, mortality rates and functional outcomes were statistically similar between the groups (p>0.05). Presence of preoperative coronary artery disease comorbidity was significantly associated with increased postoperative myocardial infarction risk (p=0.001). ssBTKA provided similar functional results, shorter cumulative hospital stay and shorter operative time without increasing complications and mortality rates compared to staBTKA procedure. For patients with pre-existing coronary artery disease, a more cautious approach should be preferred to decrease complications.

Simultaneous Bilateral Total Knee Arthroplasty May be Safe

Objectives  This study aims to analyze the safety of a simultaneous bilateral total knee arthroplasty (SBTKA) and to investigate patients' satisfaction with the procedure performed concomitantly. Methods  In a prospective study, we evaluated 45 patients undergoing SBTKA performed by two surgical teams. The mean age of the patients was 66.9 years; 33 subjects were female (73.3%) and 12 (26.6%) were male. We followed a protocol of intra- and postoperatively measures to ensure the safety of this procedure. We evaluated the surgery time and blood loss by hematocrit (Ht) and hemoglobin (Hb) levels on the first postoperative day, the percentage of patients who received a transfusion of packed red blood cells, and the number of required units. We also recorded perioperative complications, and, at the end of 3 months, we asked patients about their preference between the simultaneous or staged procedure. Results  The mean surgery time was 169 minutes. In the postoperative period, there was an average decrease of 28.2% in Htc and 27.0% in Hgb. A total of 16 patients (35.5%) received a transfusion of packed red blood cells (mean, 1.75 units per patient requiring a transfusion). There were 12 minor complications (26.6%) and 2 major complications (4.4%); furthermore, no patient had a clinical diagnosis of deep vein thrombosis, and there were no deaths. Conclusions:  The SBTKA procedure may be considered safe if performed in selected patients and with a care protocol to prevent complications. This type of procedure was unanimously approved by patients.

Comparison of the Functional and Radiological Outcomes of Single- and Two-Stage Bilateral Open Wedge High Tibial Osteotomy

PURPOSE

This study compared the functional and radiological outcomes and complications of single- (SS) and two-stage (TS) bilateral high tibial osteotomy (HTO).

METHODS

From 2014 to 2018, 48 patients underwent bilateral HTO surgery for osteoarthritis. The outcomes of SS in 28 knees and TS in 32 knees were compared using the Knee Injury and Osteoarthritis Outcome Score (KOOS) and Oxford Knee Score (OKS) as functional outcomes, and the medial proximal tibial (MPTA), hip-knee-ankle (HKA), tibial slope (TSA) angles, and mechanical axis deviation (MAD) as radiological outcomes. We also evaluated the estimated blood loss (EBL).

RESULTS

No significant differences in the pre- and postoperative mean OKS and KOOS were found between the groups. There was a significant difference between the groups in the last postoperative HKA angle (- 0.9 ± 3.9 and 1.8 ± 4.3°, respectively). In SS and TS, the respective total mean surgical time was 108 ± 28 and 143 ± 36 min (p < 0.001). The mean calculated EBL was 612 ± 267 and 544 ± 357 mL, respectively, (p = 0.5), and the mean length of stay (LOS) was 2.2 ± 0.83 and 3.5 ± 1.0 days, respectively, (p = 0.01).

CONCLUSION

SS bilateral HTO is a safe reasonable option for certain patients with bilateral knee osteoarthritis because it involves a single hospitalization, one-time exposure to anesthesia risks, accelerated rehabilitation, earlier return to expected life status, reduced total hospital stay, and a likely decrease in total cost.

Bilateral Total Knee Arthroplasty: Current Concepts Review

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Bilateral total knee arthroplasty (BTKA) is an effective surgical treatment for bilateral knee arthritis and can be performed as a simultaneous surgery under a single anesthetic setting or as staged surgeries on separate days.

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Appropriate patient selection is important for simultaneous BTKA with several factors coming into consideration such as age, comorbidities, work status, and home support, among others.

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While simultaneous BTKA is safe when performed on appropriately selected patients, current evidence suggests that the risk of complications after simultaneous BTKA remains higher than for staged BTKA.

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When staged surgery is preferred, current evidence indicates that complication risks are minimized if the 2 knees are staged at least 3 months apart.

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Simultaneous BTKA is the economically advantageous treatment option relative to staged BTKA, primarily because of shorter total operative time and total hospital stay.

Clinical Outcomes and Complications of Simultaneous or Sequential Bilateral Total Ankle Arthroplasty: A Single-Center Comparative Cohort Study

BACKGROUND

The risk-benefit profiles of simultaneous total ankle arthroplasty (TAA) compared with sequential TAA continue to be debated. There are limited case series reporting outcomes after bilateral TAA, with no previous comparison of simultaneous TAA with sequential TAA. Patients with bilateral pathology represent a unique population with an overall more debilitating condition. Thus, we aimed to compare bilateral simultaneous and sequential TAAs, including perioperative complications and patient-reported outcome measures.

METHODS

We performed a comparative cohort study of patients who underwent primary bilateral TAA, performed in a simultaneous or sequential fashion, from 2007 to 2019 at a single academic center. Data on patient demographic characteristics, comorbidities, perioperative complications, reoperations, and implant failures were collected. Patient-reported outcome measures included preoperative and postoperative visual analog scale (VAS) scores for pain, Short Form-36 Health Survey (SF-36) scores, and Short Musculoskeletal Function Assessment (SMFA) scores.

RESULTS

A total of 50 patients (100 ankles) were included, with 25 patients (50 ankles) each in the bilateral simultaneous and sequential cohorts. The mean follow-up was 52.2 ± 27.3 months (range, 24 to 109 months). The mean time between sequential TAAs was 17.5 ± 20.1 months (range, 3 to 74 months). The mean patient age was 64.3 ± 10.6 years (range, 21 to 76 years), and 32 (64.0%) were men. The majority of patients (28 patients [56.0%]) had primary osteoarthritis. Both cohorts had equivalent preoperative patient-reported outcome measures and experienced improvements in all measures, which were maintained at the final follow-up with no significant between-group differences (all p > 0.05). There were no differences between the simultaneous TAA group and the sequential TAA group in perioperative complication rates (22.0% compared with 24.0%; p = 0.7788), reoperations (12.0% compared with 10.0%; p = 0.7354), 5-year reoperation-free survival (88.0% compared with 90.0%; p = 0.4612), or failure-free survival (100%). One patient in the simultaneous TAA cohort required metal component revision at 8 years postoperatively.

CONCLUSIONS

The patient-reported outcome measures, complications, and prosthesis survival of patients who underwent bilateral simultaneous TAA were comparable with those of patients who underwent bilateral sequential TAA. We advocate that simultaneous bilateral TAA is a safe and effective method for the treatment of bilateral end-stage ankle osteoarthritis.

LEVEL OF EVIDENCE

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

Development and validation of a nomogram to predict complications in patients undergoing simultaneous bilateral total knee arthroplasty: A retrospective study from two centers

Purpose

Complications were significantly increased 30 days after Simultaneous bilateral total knee arthroplasty (SBTKA). In this study, an individualized nomogram was established and validated to predict the complications within 30 days after SBTKA.

Methods

The general data of 861 patients (training set) who received SBTKA in The Affiliated Hospital of Qingdao University between January 1, 2012 and March 31, 2017 were retrospectively analyzed. All patients were divided into complication group (n = 96) and non-complication group (n = 765) according to the incidence of complications within 30 years after SBTKA. Independent risk factors for postoperative SBTKA complications were identified and screened by binary logistic regression analyses, and then a nomogram prediction model was constructed using R software. The area under curve (AUC), calibration curve, and decision curve analysis (DCA) were selected to evaluate the line-chart. Meanwhile, 396 patients receiving SBTKA in the Third Hospital of Hebei Medical University who met the inclusion and exclusion criteria (test set) were selected to verify the nomogram.

Results

Five independent predictors were identified by binary logistic regression analyses and a nomogram was established. The AUC of this nomogram curve is 0.851 (95% CI: 0.819-0.883) and 0.818 (95% CI: 0.735-0.900) in the training and testing sets, respectively. In the training set and test set, calibration curves show that nomogram prediction results are in good agreement with actual observation results, and DCA shows that nomogram prediction results have good clinical application value.

Conclusion

Older age, lower preoperative hemoglobin level, higher preoperative blood urea nitrogen (BUN) level, longer operation time, ASA grade ≥ III are independent predictors of SBTKA complications within 30 days after surgery. A nomogram containing these five predictors can accurately predict the risk of complications within 30 days after SBTKA.

Simultaneous Bilateral Total Knee Arthroplasty in Elderly: Are There Factors that Can Influence Safety and Clinical Outcome?

Objective

The aim of this study was to look for preoperative patients' related factors correlating with worse clinical outcomes in a cohort of elderly patients undergoing simultaneous bilateral total knee arthroplasty (SiBTKA) to search for risk factors, which may influence clinical outcomes and safety. Subjects and Methods. The hospital database was mined searching for patients older than 70 years that underwent SiBTKA for severe bilateral knee osteoarthritis (OA) between 2012 and 2016. Preoperative clinical information, Oxford Knee Score (OKS), and Knee Injury and Osteoarthritis Outcome Score (KOOS) prior to surgery were recorded. The OKS and the KOOS were submitted again after a minimum of 5 years of follow-up (FU).

Results

An improvement was observed in all clinical scores at last FU. The major complication rate was 5.4%. No patients' clinical data showed correlation with perioperative complications or need for transfusions. Functional scores at the last FU were negatively affected by age at surgery and positively affected by preoperative clinical scores. Discussion. In the setting of severe symptomatic bilateral knee OA, SiBTKA seems to be effective in improving symptoms at midterm follow-up, with acceptable rates of perioperative complications in patients older than 70. Higher age at surgery and lower preoperative functional scores are associated with worse clinical outcomes at FU. This could assist surgeons in advising patients that delay of surgical treatment could worsen outcomes.

Two-surgeon simultaneous bilateral total knee arthroplasty does not provide poor prosthetic alignment : A prospective randomized controlled study

PURPOSE

Two-surgeon, simultaneous bilateral total knee arthroplasty (TKA) is considered as an unpredictable, complex procedure in terms of its radiographic and functional outcomes because of different surgeons and teams, and too many instruments and hands in a narrow space. We compared radiological and functional results of simultaneous bilateral TKA and single-surgeon sequential bilateral TKA.

METHODS

The 136 participants with a minimum of 24 months follow-up were prospectively randomized into 2 groups: two-surgeon bilateral TKA and single-surgeon bilateral TKA. We prespecified primary outcome of the study as between-group differences in terms of component alignment in the coronal and sagittal planes. Short-term functional outcomes were evaluated prospectively using the Oxford Knee Score (OKS) and Western Ontario and McMaster Universities Osteoarthritis Index (WOMAC).

RESULTS

Each group consisted of 136 knees of 68 patients. The mean tibial medial angles (TMA) were 89° ± 3 ° and 88° ± 5° in two-surgeons and single surgeon groups, respectively (p = 0.24). Radiological outcomes showed that the mean femoral lateral angles (FLA) were 87.9 ± 3.5° and 85.84 ± 3.7° (p = 0.12), posterior tibial slope angles (PTSA) were 8.2 ± 16.9° and 7.6 ± 17.8° (p = 0.84), and femoral flexion angles (FFA)were 86.8 ± 3.8° and 86.3 ± 3.5° (p = 0.41), anterior femoral offset ratios (AFOR) (%) were 29.5 ± 11.1 and 27.7 ± 7.9 (p = 0.31), and posterior femoral offset ratio (PFOR) (%) were 108.41 ± 31.3 and 108.45 ± 25.7 (p = 0.98), respectively.

CONCLUSION

Two-team simultaneous bilateral TKA is as safe as single stage one-surgeon sequential bilateral TKA in terms of short-term component radiological and the functional outcomes.