Do Patient Expectations Influence Patient-Reported Outcomes and Satisfaction in Total Hip Arthroplasty? A Prospective, Multicenter Study

Forgotten joint score associated with prosthesis weight in cementless total hip arthroplasty: a prospective clinical study

Background

This prospective study aimed to investigate the influence of weight difference between implanted prosthesis and removed bone in cementless total hip arthroplasty (THA) on hip awareness and patient-reported outcomes.

Methods

A total of 48 patients (56 hips) who underwent primary THA were prospectively enrolled. Implanted prosthesis and removed bone were weighed intraoperatively. Forgotten Joint Score (FJS) and Western Ontario and McMaster Universities (WOMAC) scores were obtained before and at 1 and 3 months after surgery. Patients were divided into groups A, B, and C according to the percentile of the weight difference.

Results

The mean weight difference of the implanted prosthesis and removed bone was 117.97 ± 47.35 g. A negative correlation was found among the weight differences of the three groups and 1- and 3-month postoperative FJS (correlation coefficients, -0.331 and -0.734, respectively). A positive correlation was found among the weight difference of the three groups and 3-month postoperative WOMAC (correlation coefficient, 0.403). A significant difference in 3-month postoperative FJS and WOMAC scores was found among the three groups. The mean 3-month postoperative FJS (79.00) of group C was significantly lower than that of group A (93.32) (P < 0.05). The mean WOMAC score (15.83) of group A was significantly lower than that of group C (23.67) (P < 0.05).

Conclusion

The implanted prosthesis is larger than the removed bone in cementless THA. The weight difference is negatively correlated with hip function. The weight difference should be minimized to achieve optimal hip joint awareness.

The Patient Acceptable Symptom State (PASS) after proximal and distal femoral replacement

INTRODUCTION

Femoral megaprostheses are used for bone reconstruction surgery in patients with local tumors or who require multiple revisions. Patient reported outcome measures (PROMs) provide a subjective result and, like patient satisfaction, have become an integral part of the outcomes in orthopedics. However, the threshold of satisfaction (PASS: Patient Acceptable Symptom State) has not yet been defined in a French population after this type of arthroplasty. This led us to carry out a retrospective study on a population of patients who received a femoral reconstruction megaprosthesis in order to 1) define the PASS for the Harris Hip Score (HHS), Knee Society Score (KSS) and the Musculoskeletal Tumor Society score (MSTS), 2) study the complications.

HYPOTHESIS

The PASS threshold for proximal femur and distal femur reconstruction prothesis for the HHS and the KSS, respectively, will be lower than the threshold for these same scores for primary arthroplasty.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Forty-four patients who were operated on between 2009 and 2020 were included: 23 received a proximal femur prosthesis and 21 received a distal femur prosthesis. The PASS threshold was defined using an anchoring strategy by analyzing ROC curves for the HSS for the proximal femur, KSS for the distal femur and the MSTS for all the prostheses. Complications were classified according to Henderson.

RESULTS

The mean follow-up was 4.5 ± 3.6 (1-12.5) years. The PASS threshold was 47.5 (area under curve (AUC) 0.71 (0.45-0.97)) for the HHS, 69.5 (AUC 0.97 (0.92-1.0)) for the KSS knee and 62.5 (AUC 0.81 (0.61-0.99)) for the KSS function. Thirteen patients (29%) had complications, nine of whom required another surgery (20%). The most frequent were Henderson type 1 (soft tissue lesions, n = 5/44 [11%]) and type 2 (loosening, n = 5/44 [11%]) There was no relationship between satisfaction and postoperative complications (p = 0.071).

DISCUSSION

Most of the patients who undergo femoral resection and reconstruction (59%) are satisfied with their function, albeit reduced, despite a high complication rate (29%). Our hypothesis is confirmed for the PASS threshold for the HHS (47.5 versus 93) and the KSS knee and function (69.5 and 62.5 versus 85.5 and 72.5).

LEVEL OF EVIDENCE

IV; retrospective observational single-center study.

Variation in Demographics, Hospital, and Patient-Reported Outcomes Following Total Hip Arthroplasty According to Biological Sex

BACKGROUND

The effect of biological sex on the outcomes of total hip arthroplasty (THA) remains unclear. Accounting for biological sex in research is crucial for reproducibility and accuracy. Average combined data may mask sex-related variation and obscure clinically relevant differences in outcomes. The aim of this study is to investigate hospital and patient-reported outcome measures (PROMs) after THA by biological sex to elucidate differences and ultimately provide more equitable care.

METHODS

We performed a retrospective review of patients undergoing primary THA at a single large academic center between January 2013 and August 2020. Demographics, operative variables, hospital outcomes, and PROMs were compared between men and women patients. The PROMs included preoperative, 6-weeks, 6-months, and 1-year Single Assessment Numeric Evaluation, Visual Analog Scale, Hip Disability and Osteoarthritis Outcome Score Joint Replacement, University of California, Los Angeles, and Patient-Reported Outcomes Measurement Information System mental and physical scores, as well as satisfaction scores.

RESULTS

A total of 6,418 patients were included (55% women). Women were older (P < .001), had a lower body mass index (P < .001), and were more likely to have public insurance (P < .001). Fewer women were discharged to home or self-care (P < .001). Women had higher rates of cementation (P < .001) and fracture within 90 days (P < .001), and these associations remained significant with adjusted multivariable analyses. Women had significantly higher pain and lower functional scores preoperatively; postoperatively, most PROMs were equivalent.

CONCLUSIONS

Important differences were observed in several areas. Demographic parameters differed, and a variable effect of biological sex was observed on surgical and hospital outcomes. Women had an increased incidence of cemented femoral components (indicated for osteoporotic bone) and postoperative fractures. Women's PROMs demonstrated globally lower functional scores and higher pain preoperatively. Differences attributed to sex should continue to be investigated and accounted for in risk-stratification models. Future studies are needed to elucidate the underlying causes of observed biological sex differences and are essential for equitable arthroplasty care.

Time to Achieve the Minimal Clinically Important Difference in Primary Total Hip Arthroplasty: Comparison of Anterior and Posterior Surgical Approaches

BACKGROUND

Controversy remains over outcomes between total hip arthroplasty approaches. This study aimed to compare the time to achieve the minimal clinically important difference (MCID) for the Hip Disability and Osteoarthritis Outcome Score-Physical Function Short Form (HOOS-PS) and the Patient-Reported Outcomes Measurement Information System (PROMIS) Global-Physical for patients who underwent anterior and posterior surgical approaches in primary total hip arthroplasty.

METHODS

Patients from 2018 to 2021 with preoperative and postoperative HOOS-PS or PROMIS Global-Physical questionnaires were grouped by approach. Demographic and MCID achievement rates were compared, and survival curves with and without interval-censoring were used to assess the time to achieve the MCID by approach. Log-rank and weighted log-rank tests were used to compare groups, and Weibull regression analyses were performed to assess potential covariates.

RESULTS

A total of 2,725 patients (1,054 anterior and 1,671 posterior) were analyzed. There were no significant differences in median MCID achievement times for either the HOOS-PS (anterior: 5.9 months, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 4.6 to 6.4; posterior: 4.4 months, 95% CI: 4.1 to 5.1, P = .65) or the PROMIS Global-Physical (anterior: 4.2 months, 95% CI: 3.5 to 5.3; posterior: 3.5 months, 95% CI: 3.4 to 3.8, P = .08) between approaches. Interval-censoring revealed earlier times of achieving the MCID for both the HOOS-PS (anterior: 1.509 to 1.511 months; posterior: 1.7 to 2.3 months, P = .87) and the PROMIS Global-Physical (anterior: 3.0 to 3.1 weeks; posterior: 2.7 to 3.3 weeks, P = .18) for both surgical approaches.

CONCLUSIONS

The time to achieve the MCID did not differ by surgical approach. Most patients will achieve clinically meaningful improvements in physical function much earlier than previously believed.

LEVEL OF EVIDENCE

Level III, Retrospective Comparative Study.

Evaluation of Patient Expectations and Outcomes after Distal Radius Fractures

BACKGROUND

Patient expectations influence patient-reported outcomes after musculoskeletal injuries. The goal of this study is to determine how pretreatment expectations correlate with outcomes in patients with distal radius fractures.

METHODS

Seventy-five patients with an isolated distal radius fracture were prospectively enrolled into nonoperative and operative cohorts. The Trauma Expectation Factor-Trauma Outcome Measure (TEF-TOM) score was the primary outcome measure. Trauma Expectation Factor scores were recorded at the time of enrollment, and TOM scores were recorded at 3, 6, and 12 months. Quick Disabilities of the Arm, Shoulder, and Hand (qDASH) and Patient-Rated Wrist Evaluation (PRWE) scores were also recorded.

RESULTS

Trauma Outcome Measure scores at all time points were worse than expected (P < .01). Expectations were higher for patients younger than 65 years than for the 65+ group (P = .02). In patients aged 65+ years, mean TOM at 3 months was not significantly different than expected (P = .11) but decreased by 6 (P = .04) and 12 months (P < .01). Baseline TEF and TEF-TOM scores were not significantly different between operative and nonoperative groups (P = .37). Quick Disabilities of the Arm, Shoulder, and Hand and PRWE scores were not significantly different between age or treatment groups at the final follow-up.

CONCLUSIONS

The overall treatment of distal radial injuries in our study did not meet patient expectations. Patients aged 65 years or older had lower expectations but were not able to predict their outcomes better than patients aged <65 years. There were no differences in TEF or TOM by treatment method. Patients demonstrated improved functional outcomes (qDASH/PRWE) at all time points regardless of age and treatment method.

Reasons for malpractice claims after primary total hip arthroplasty in France: Insurance data from 240 claims from 2014 to 2017

INTRODUCTION

Total hip arthroplasty (THA) is one of the most frequent orthopedic surgery procedures, and orthopedic surgeons are among the most frequently accused of malpractice by their patients. Identifying the main reasons for malpractice claims after THA is a prior condition to reducing their frequency. The quality of the preoperative risk information given to the patient by the surgeon is crucial for these purposes. Data specific to THA are sparse in France, and we therefore conducted a retrospective study (1) to determine whether the outcome of medico-legal expert appraisal correlated with the quality and traceability of preoperative information, and (2) to identify the most frequent grounds for complaint after primary THA.

HYPOTHESIS

The quality of patient information partly determines expert appraisal.

MATERIAL AND METHOD

A retrospective study was conducted based on data from the Branchet medical professional insurance agency for malpractice claims following THA over the period 2014-2017, with 240 complete files, for 125 women and 115 men. Data comprised: type of procedure, main grounds of complaint (complications), positive or negative expert appraisal, quality of preoperative patient information, amounts of compensation accorded and fees paid, and the practitioner's liability. We assessed correlations between information quality and liability.

RESULTS

Surgical site infection and neurologic deficit were the two main grounds for malpractice claims. In the 240 files, cases for 106 operations (44.2%) were submitted to arbitration, 95 (39.6%) were brought to court, and 39 (16.2%) were settled out of court. The practitioner was held at least partly liable in 40 files (16.7%). Information to the patient was deemed imperfect or poor for 119 files (49.6%) and good in 121 (50.4%). Mean compensation was €30,940 (range, €0 to €198,100). In 27 of the 40 cases of liability (67.5%), the information to the patient was deemed imperfect or poor. Twenty-six of the 40 cases (65%) were settled out of court. In case of poor information, there was a significant risk for the practitioner to be held liable: 7.5 vs. 25% (p=0.003).

DISCUSSION

The present study listed the main complications underlying malpractice claims after THA: infection, neurologic complications, and limb-length discrepancy. This should enable practitioners to improve patient information so as to reduce the rate of malpractice claims or at least decrease the practitioner's liability, as the study found a correlation between information quality and expert appraisal.

LEVEL OF EVIDENCE

IV; retrospective study.

Impact of prior spinal fusion surgery on complications and functional outcomes following total hip arthroplasty: an updated systematic review and meta-analysis

PURPOSE

This study aimed to compare the complication rates and functional outcomes between patients with and without a history of spinal fusion undergoing THA.

METHODS

A systematic search was conducted across PubMed, EMBASE, Scopus, and Cochrane databases. Studies that compared adults with and without a history of spinal fusion after primary THA were included. The methodological quality of the studies was evaluated using MINORS criteria. Meta-analyses were performed utilizing mean differences (MD), standardized mean differences (SMD), and odds ratios (OR), along with 95% confidence intervals (CI).

RESULTS

Seventeen studies involving 1,789,356 patients (31,786 in the SF group and 1,757,570 in the Non-SF group) were analyzed. The spinal fusion group exhibited significantly higher rates of dislocation (OR 2.50, 95% CI 1.78-3.52), periprosthetic fracture (OR 1.96, 95% CI 1.39-2.77), overall complications (OR 1.73, 95% CI 1.10-2.71), and revision rates (OR 1.86, 95% CI 1.74-1.99). Furthermore, within the first three months, there was an increased risk of dislocation (OR 4.38, 95% CI 1.36-14.14) and revisions (OR 3.87, 95% CI 1.63-9.18). Longer spinal fusions were significantly associated with a higher risk of dislocations (OR 0.62, 95% CI 0.53-0.71). Additionally, prior spinal fusion was linked to higher levels of pain (SMD 0.11, 95% CI 0.02-0.19) and poorer functional outcomes (MD - 0.09, 95% CI - 0.18 to - 0.00).

CONCLUSIONS

Patients with a history of spinal fusion undergoing THA exhibit increased complication rates, higher levels of pain, and greater functional limitations than those without prior fusion. These findings have significant clinical implications for optimizing perioperative care in high-risk patient populations.

The Influence of Compensatory Pelvic Tilt on Patient-reported Outcome Measurements in FAI Patients Who Received Arthroscopic Treatment

OBJECTIVE

Pelvic compensation is common in femoroacetabular impingement (FAI) patients to reduce symptoms and increase range of motion. However, little attention was given to the postoperative clinical effect of pelvic compensation. Therefore, this study aims to compare the outcomes between pelvic compensation and normal pelvic position in femoroacetabular impingement (FAI) patients after hip arthroscopy.

METHODS

The retrospective study was conducted from January 2019 to June 2022, recruited consecutive patients who were diagnosed with FAI and received subsequent arthroscopic treatment. All patients completed an X-ray in the anterior-posterior standing position before and 4 weeks after surgery. Patients with pelvic compensation were compared with those who did not. Functional outcomes included hip disability and osteoarthritis outcome score (HOOS), modified Harris (mHHS) score, and lower-extremity activity scale (LEAS). Secondary outcomes included the EuroQol Five Dimensions Questionnaire (EQ-5D) and patient satisfaction. The intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC) was used to analyze interobserver and intraobserver reliability.

RESULTS

Ninety patients with a mean age of 39.40 years were included in the study. No significant compensation changes were noted within groups after the elimination of impingement. The functional scores showed no significant difference between groups (p(HOOS) = 0.352, p(mHHS) = 0.183, p(LEAS) = 0.865). The EQ-5D revealed statistically better performance in usual activities in the compensatory group (p = 0.044). There are no significant between-group differences in patients' satisfaction evaluations.

CONCLUSION

As assessed by Patient-Reported Outcome Measures (PROMs), patients with compensatory pelvic tilt demonstrated similar clinical outcomes without extra adverse events to patients with normal pelvic positioning in short-term follow-ups. Furthermore, compensatory pelvic tilt did not significantly enhance the range of motion or functional outcome at short-term follow-ups.

Preoperative predictors for return to physical activity following anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction (ACLR): a systematic review

BACKGROUND

Rates of return to physical activity after anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction surgery are sub-optimal. Optimising presurgical treatment may improve return rates. The purpose of this systematic review was to identify modifiable preoperative predictors for return to physical activity after anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction.

METHODS

Seven electronic databases (CINAHL, MEDLINE and SPORTDiscus via EBSCOhost, AMED, PsycINFO and EMBASE via OVID and Web of Science) were searched from inception to 31 March 2023. The population of focus was adults aged 18-65 who had undergone primary anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction. Studies needed to identify at least one potential modifiable preoperative predictor variable and the relationship between the predictor(s) and return to physical activity. All time-points of assessment and study designs were included. Data extraction was completed by one reviewer and verified by a second reviewer. Two reviewers completed the risk of bias assessment using the Quality in Prognostic Studies tool and Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development and Evaluation system.

RESULTS

The search identified 2281 studies, eight met the inclusion criteria. Five studies scored 'high', and three studies scored 'moderate' risk-of-bias. All preoperative predictors were of very low-quality evidence. Five different outcome measures were used to assess return to physical activity including Tegner, Marx, Physical Activity Scale, return to play at the elite level and return to preinjury level (undefined). This was measured between 1- and 10-years post-surgery. Nine preoperative physical, six psychosocial and five demographic/clinical factors were assessed and four were found to be predictive. These included quadriceps strength, psychological profile, patient estimated ability to return and graft type (patella tendon, BPTB).

CONCLUSION

Very-low level evidence suggests that increasing quadriceps strength, managing patient expectations of their treatment outcomes, improving motivation to resume preinjury activity levels and considering the use of a BPTB graft will support return to physical activity after ACLR.

TRIAL REGISTRATION

This study was prospectively registered in PROSPERO: CRD 42020222567.

Disruptions in Standard Care in Patients After Arthroscopic Rotator Cuff Repair During the COVID-19 Pandemic

Background

The coronavirus disease-2019 (COVID-19) pandemic led to disruptions in care for orthopaedic patients who underwent surgery just before the outbreak, rendering some unable to participate in standard postoperative care. Many of these patients underwent clinical follow-up and physical therapy via telehealth.

Purpose

To evaluate the methods of postoperative care in patients who underwent arthroscopic rotator cuff repair (RCR) and had follow-ups during the height of the pandemic versus those who received prior standard of care. We aimed to compare the 1-year outcomes between these cohorts.

Study Design

Cohort study; Level of evidence, 3.

Methods

A retrospective chart review was used to identify patients who underwent primary RCR in February and March 2020 (COVID cohort) and the same period in 2019 (control cohort) at a single institution. Excluded were patients who underwent revision RCR, used workers' compensation, or were incarcerated or deceased. The included patients reported the postoperative care received, their satisfaction with care, physical therapy appointment type (in person, home based, telehealth, or self-guided), satisfaction with physical therapy, and minimum 1-year postoperative American Shoulder and Elbow Surgeons (ASES), Single Assessment Numeric Evaluation (SANE), and Penn Shoulder Score (PSS) outcomes.

Results

Overall, 428 patients were included for final analysis--199 in the COVID cohort and 229 controls. Follow-up data were collected for 160 patients in the COVID group (80.4%) and 169 control patients (73.8%). In the COVID group, 110 patients (68.8%) had ≥1 clinical visit conducted via telehealth, compared with zero in the control group. There were no differences between the COVID and control groups in the ASES (84.2 ± 16.5 vs 86.5 ± 17; P = .27 ), SANE (83.9 ± 15.4 vs 84.8 ± 17.5; P = .66), PSS (84.8 ± 15.3 vs 87.1 ± 15.1; P = .22), or patient satisfaction with the care received (81.7 ± 22.6 vs 86.3 ± 23.5; P = .09). Satisfaction with physical therapy was significantly higher in the control group (88.3 ± 18.9 vs 81.9 ± 22.5; P = .01).

Conclusion

Despite disruptions in care, RCR patients had comparable 1-year outcomes during the pandemic versus before the pandemic. Telehealth clinical follow-up appointments did not adversely affect patient-reported outcome measures and may be appropriate for RCR patients beyond the pandemic.

Disruptions in standard care: anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction outcomes during the SARS-COV2 pandemic

OBJECTIVE

The SARS-COV2 pandemic led to massive disruptions of care for orthopedic patients. Although many elective procedures were put on hold, a cohort of patients who underwent surgery prior to the outbreak of the pandemic were rendered unable to participate in standard post-operative care. The purpose of this study was to determine the methods of post-operative care in arthroscopic anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction patients who received care during an early height of the pandemic to those who received standard of care in the prior year. We aimed to correlate those results with 1-year clinical outcomes in the form of subjective surveys.

METHODS

Retrospective chart review was used to identify patients who underwent primary anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction in February and March of 2020 (case) and 2019 (control) at a single institution. Workman's compensation patients were excluded. Identified patients were asked to report post-operative care received, satisfaction with care, and complete the IKDC and Lysholm outcome measures. Surveys were conducted minimum 1-year post-operative.

RESULTS

236 patients were identified, including 103 in 2020 and 133 in 2019. Follow-up data was collected for 73 patients (70.9%) in 2020 and 97 patients (72.9%) in 2019. Fifty-one COVID cohort patients (69.9%) had at least one clinical visit conducted via telehealth, compared to zero in the control. There were no differences in IKDC (82.8 ± 13.2 vs 85.0 ± 12.0, P = 0.29) and Lysholm (89.2 ± 11.3 vs 89.6 ± 10.8, P = 0.82) between groups. There were no differences in patient satisfaction with the care received (82.9 ± 22.4 vs 81.9 ± 21.8, P = 0.79).

CONCLUSION

Despite disruptions in care, anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction patients have excellent 1-year outcomes during the pandemic. Telehealth follow-up appointments may be appropriate for anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction patients beyond the pandemic and do not seem to adversely affect short-term patient reported outcome measures.

Follow-up after arthroplasty surgery : a changing landscape

We aim to explore the potential technologies for monitoring and assessment of patients undergoing arthroplasty by examining selected literature focusing on the technology currently available and reflecting on possible future development and application. The reviewed literature indicates a large variety of different hardware and software, widely available and used in a limited manner, to assess patients' performance. There are extensive opportunities to enhance and integrate the systems which are already in existence to develop patient-specific pathways for rehabilitation.Cite this article: Bone Joint J 2022;104-B(10):1104-1109.

Analysis of Factors That Influence Patient Satisfaction After Periacetabular Osteotomy: An Asian Cohort Study

Periacetabular osteotomy (PAO) is an effective joint-preserving procedure for developmental dysplasia of the hip. However, some patients report dissatisfaction after PAO. Because patient satisfaction is increasingly used as a health care quality metric, it is important to gain a better understanding of factors associated with patient satisfaction after PAO. The goal of this study was to investigate patient satisfaction among a cohort of Asian patients undergoing PAO. This study included 227 Asian patients who had undergone PAO at our institution between 1998 and 2016. The study participants completed a questionnaire assessing patient satisfaction, reasons for dissatisfaction, and postoperative Oxford Hip Score (OHS) and University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA), activity scale score. Based on their satisfaction levels, the participants were divided into 4 subgroups, and their demographic characteristics and postoperative patient-reported outcomes were compared. Of the 227 patients, 190 expressed satisfaction that correlated with OHS-pain, OHD-activities of daily living, and UCLA activity scale scores. Primary reasons for dissatisfaction after PAO were persistent pain (24 of 49, 49%), functional limitations (14 of 49, 29%), stiffness around the hip (4 of 49, 8%), unmet expectations (4 of 49, 8%), conversion to total hip arthroplasty (2 of 49, 4%), and complications (1 of 49, 2%). Multivariate analysis showed that preoperative Kellgren-Lawrence grades 1 and 3 were the significant predictive factors for satisfaction and dissatisfaction, respectively. The potential for lower patient satisfaction associated with Kellgren-Lawrence grade 3 because of persistent pain and functional limitations postoperatively suggests that consideration of preoperative severity of osteoarthritis could enhance patient satisfaction after PAO. [Orthopedics. 2022;45(5):297-303.].

Ask Patients What They Expect! A Survey Among Patients Awaiting Total Hip Arthroplasty in Germany

BACKGROUND

Total hip arthroplasty (THA) is an elective surgery. Therefore, patient satisfaction with the results of surgery is paramount. The association between fulfillment of patients' expectations and satisfaction is well known. The aim of this study was to identify key expectations of patients with hip osteoarthritis awaiting THA.

METHODS

A mixed-methods approach was used, consisting of two sequential parts. The questionnaire was developed based on literature review and focus group interviews. A nationwide survey was conducted in 21 orthopedic departments within Germany.

RESULTS

Out of 691 obtained questionnaires, 636 were analyzed (mean age = 65.7 years (±11.3), 56.1% female). A majority of patients (≥75%) reported more than 20 complaints as 'present' due to hip osteoarthritis. A total of 9 key expectations were identified, which were reported by more than 75% of the patients as 'mandatory' for a successful THA. The identified key expectations were related to pain, range of motion, walking abilities, gait pattern, transitions, leisure and sports activities, awareness of the affected hip, satisfaction with health or life, and compensatory posture. A consistently high correlation was found between the complaints and the corresponding expectations.

CONCLUSION

The expectations of patients have greatly expanded. In this study, a set of mandatory key expectations shared by the majority of patients was identified. The likelihood of fulfillment of key expectations should be assessed for weighing benefits and harms of available treatment options during the indication process. In addition, the results of this study might be used as a resource for shared decision-making.

Development and Internal Validation of Novel Risk Tools to Predict Subsequent Shoulder Surgery After Proximal Humerus Fractures

OBJECTIVE

To (1) identify predictors of subsequent surgery after initial treatment of proximal humerus fractures (PHFs) and (2) generate valid risk prediction tools to predict subsequent surgery.

METHODS

We identified patients ≥50 years with PHF from 2004 to 2015 using health data sets in Ontario, Canada. We used procedural codes to classify patients into treatment groups of (1) surgical fixation, (2) shoulder replacement, and (3) conservative. We used procedural and diagnosis codes to capture subsequent surgery within 2 years after fracture. We developed regression models for two-thirds of each group to identify predictors of subsequent surgery and the regression equations to develop risk tools to predict subsequent surgery. We used the final third of each cohort to evaluate the discriminative ability of the risk tools using c-statistics.

RESULTS

We identified 20,897 patients with PHF, 2414 treated with fixation, 1065 with replacement, and 17,418 treated conservatively. Predictors of reoperation after fixation included bone grafting and nail or wire fixation versus plate fixation, whereas poor bone quality was associated with reoperation after initial replacement. In conservatively treated patients, more comorbidities were associated with subsequent surgery, whereas age 70+ and discharge home after presentation lowered the odds of subsequent surgery. The risk tools were able to discriminate with c-statistics of 0.75-0.88 (derivation) and 0.51-0.79 (validation).

CONCLUSIONS

Our risk tools showed good to strong discriminative ability for patients treated conservatively and with fixation. These data may be used as the foundation to develop a clinically informative tool.

LEVEL OF EVIDENCE

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

Preoperative Factors and Patient-Reported Outcomes After Total Hip Arthroplasty: Multivariable Prediction Modeling

BACKGROUND

Although total hip arthroplasty (THA) has been established as a cost-effective intervention, some patients experience ongoing pain and dissatisfaction. There is interest in predicting postoperative outcomes based on preoperative data, but the relative contribution of different preoperative factors is unclear. The study's aim was to develop multivariable prediction models for the assessment of patient-reported outcomes.

METHOD

Registry data on 1412 patients undergoing THA for osteoarthritis at two hospitals between 2013 and 2018 was used. Potential predictors included age, sex, body mass index, spoken language, education level, previous THA, American Society of Anaesthesiologists (ASA) score, lower back pain, depression/anxiety, other lower limb arthritis, number of other comorbidities, the preoperative expectation of pain and function, EuroQol Visual Analogue Scale (EQ-VAS) and preoperative OHS. Radiographic scores were also used: joint space narrowing (JSN), osteophytes, sclerosis, and an overall grade based on the Kellgren-Lawrence (KL) classification. Outcomes assessed were the patient-rated improvement, satisfaction, and OHS at six months.

RESULTS

JSN or overall KL scores were the most important predictors (P < .001) for all outcomes, with better radiographic scores associated with worse outcomes. Other predictors associated with poorer outcomes were lower back pain and lower expectation (predicting poor improvement), lower education and higher ASA (predicting lower satisfaction) and younger age, female sex, non-English speakers, lower preoperative EQ-VAS, lower education, back pain, and anxiety/depression (predicting lower OHS).

CONCLUSION

Preoperative radiological scores are an important predictor of patient-reported outcomes at six months postoperatively. Understanding the relative strengths and significance of different factors in predicting outcomes will help the clinician and patient decision-making for THA.

The Quality of Life, Patient Satisfaction and Rehabilitation in Patients With a Low Energy Fracture-Part III of an Observational Study

Introduction

Due to the aging population the incidence of Low Energy Fractures (LEF) increases. LEF have high mortality and morbidity rates and often cause elderly to lose independence. Patient-reported outcomes, such as Quality of Life (QoL) and patient satisfaction (PS) are needed to evaluate treatment, estimate cost-benefit analyses, and to improve clinical decision-making and patient-centered care.

Objective

The primary goal was to evaluate QoL and PS in patients with LEF, and to compare QoL scores to the community dwelling population. Second, we observed the amount and type of physiotherapy (PT) sessions the patients conducted.

Methods

A single-center cohort study was conducted in Switzerland. Patients between 50 and 85 years, who were treated in the hospital for LEF, were followed 1 year after initial fracture. Data on QoL were obtained through the Euroqol-5-Dimension questionnaire-3-Level (EQ-5D-3L) and the EQ VAS (visual analog scale). PS was measured by a VAS on satisfaction with treatment outcome. Data on PT sessions, mobility and use of analgesics were collected by telephone interviews and written surveys. Results were compared between the different fracture locations and subgroup analyses were performed for age categories.

Results

411 patients were included for analysis. The median scores of the EQ-5D-3L index-VAS and PS were 0.90 (0.75-1.0), 90 (71.3-95) and 100 (90-100). Significant differences in all scores were found between fracture location (P < .05), with hip fracture patients and patients with a malleolar fracture scoring lowest in all measures. QoL index in hip fracture patients was 0.76 (0.70-1.00), QoL VAS 80 (70-90), and PS 95 (80-100). Median amount of PT sessions in all patients was 18 (9-27) and a significant difference was found between fracture locations. Patients with a fracture of the humerus received the highest amount of PT sessions 27 (18-36), hip fracture patients had a median of 18 (9-27) sessions.

Conclusion

At follow-up, QoL throughout all patients with a LEF was comparable to a normal population. Remarkably, though hip fracture patients seem to suffer from a clinically relevant loss of QoL, they received fewer PT sessions and performed fewer long-lasting home training than patients with a humerus fracture. Intensive, progressive rehabilitation with a high frequency of supervised training is recommended after hip fracture. The low frequency of PT sessions found in this study is unsatisfying. In hip fracture patients and in patients with a malleolar fracture, especially when aged over 75 years, more efforts are required to improve rehabilitation and subsequently QoL.

Factors Influencing Patient Satisfaction With Care and Surgical Outcomes for Total Hip and Knee Replacement

INTRODUCTION

Although patient satisfaction with total joint arthroplasty has been a well-measured outcome, little is known about how preadmission and post-discharge care experiences affect patients' rating of satisfaction.

OBJECTIVE

This work aimed to identify actionable factors associated with better ratings of overall care and surgical results.

METHODS

A 36-item survey assessing care in the preoperative, perioperative, and post-discharge phases of care and across all phases was mailed to 7,031 patients who underwent primary unilateral elective total hip arthroplasty and total knee arthroplasty in 2018. Exploratory factor analysis identified 7 actionable domains. Stepwise logistic regression models identified domains associated with ratings of overall care and satisfaction with surgical outcome.

RESULTS

Of the 3,026 (43%) patients who returned the survey; 2,814 (93%) rated their overall experience of care as very good or excellent and satisfaction with surgical results as ≥ 7 on a 10-point scale. In exploratory factor analysis, four factors predicted higher ratings of both overall care and surgical outcome: knowing what to do with symptoms and pain during recovery (factor 1), self-reported health (factor 3), knowing what to expect before surgery (factor 4), and shared decision making (factor 6). Coordinated information among providers (factor 2), home health experience (factor 5), and patient-provider relationships (factor 7) also predicted overall care ratings.

CONCLUSION

Patient-centered quality improvement in total joint replacement care requires thinking of care across the entire episode, including before and after the hospital stay for surgery, in addition to perioperative care. The actionable factors identified from this study can be incorporated into total joint replacement care to improve patients' satisfaction with overall care and surgical results.

Assessment of the satisfaction with public health insurance programs by patients with chronic diseases in China: a structural equation modeling approach

BACKGROUND

China has successfully sustained its universal health insurance coverage over the past decade. Although patient satisfaction has been recognized as an important indicator to measure the performance of insurance programs in China, there is a lack of evidence on how patients with chronic diseases are satisfied with China's public health insurance programs and whether their satisfaction differs by type of insurance. We aimed to fill the evidence gap.

METHODS

We established a hypothetical model that comprised patients' awareness of insurance policies, the fulfillment of patients' expectations of insurance benefits, patients' perceived value of health insurance coverage, patients' satisfaction with health insurance programs, patients' complaints, and trust in health insurance programs. We performed a confirmatory factor analysis by using a structural equation modeling (SEM) approach to examine the hypothesized model. A model-testing survey in 10 tertiary hospitals was conducted between June and October 2018, with a valid sample of 922 insured patients with chronic diseases.

RESULTS

The SEM model, with good fit indices, showed that patients' awareness of health insurance policies, insurance program's fulfillment of expectations, and patients' perceived value of insurance coverage, positively predicted patient satisfaction (P < 0.01). The fulfillment of patients' expectations of insurance benefits was the major predictor of satisfaction with health insurance (coefficient = 0.593, P < 0.001), while the patients' perceived value of insurance coverage had the largest impact on their trust in health insurance (coefficient = 0.409, P < 0.01). Compared to patients with Urban-Rural Resident Basic Medical Insurance, Urban Employee Basic Medical Insurance enrollees had a higher degree of satisfaction with insurance on average (P < 0.01). Despite differences in the degree of satisfaction, the main findings from the SEM were also proved by the multi-group analysis.

CONCLUSIONS

Our findings highlight the importance of incorporating patients' perceived value as part of the ongoing efforts to increase satisfaction with health insurance by patients, especially those who have chronic diseases. Policymakers are also suggested to formulate evidence-informed reimbursement policies that meet patients' expectations.

Evaluation of Patient Expectations before Carpal Tunnel Release

Background:

Carpal tunnel release (CTR) is common, yet patient treatment expectations remain unclear. The primary purpose was to describe patient expectations before CTR. Secondarily, we aimed to identify factors influencing expectations.

Methods:

Included patients underwent unilateral or bilateral CTR between 2015 and 2017 at a single academic center. Expectations regarding the level of relief/improvement were queried. Area deprivation index (ADI) was used to measure social deprivation. Univariate and multivariable logistic regression identified factors associated with expecting great relief/improvement.

Results:

Of 307 included patients, mean age was 54 ± 16 years and 63% were women. Patients most commonly expected great (58%) or some (23%) relief/improvement. Few patients expected little (3%) or no (4%) relief/improvement, and 13% had no expectations. In the multivariable analysis, male sex, lower social deprivation, and lower BMI were associated with expecting great relief/improvement. Age, surgical technique (open versus endoscopic), use of the operating room versus procedure room, and preoperative factors (constant numbness, weakness/atrophy, duration of symptoms, and QuickDASH) were not associated with expectations.

Conclusions:

Most patients expect some to great improvement after CTR. This was independent of several factors with a known association with worse outcomes (advanced age, atrophy/weakness, and constant numbness). Male sex was associated with the expectation of great improvement, in which superior outcomes relative to females have not been borne out in the literature. These findings highlight patient counseling opportunities. The observed association between social deprivation and expectations warrants further investigation, as the socioeconomically disadvantaged experience worse healthcare outcomes in general.

An individualized decision aid for physicians and patients for total knee replacement in osteoarthritis (Value-based TKR study): study protocol for a multi-center, stepped wedge, cluster randomized controlled trial

Background

Total knee replacement (TKR) is one of the most commonly performed routine procedures in the world. Prognostic studies indicate that the number of TKR will further increase constituting growing burden on healthcare systems. There is also substantial regional heterogeneity in TKR rates within and between countries. Despite the known therapeutic effects, a subset of patients undergoing TKR does not benefit from the procedure as intended. To improve the appropriateness of TKR indication, the EKIT initiative (“evidence and consensus based indication critera for total arthroplasty”) developed a clinical guideline for Germany on the indication of TKR. This guideline is the basis for a digital medical decision aid (EKIT tool) to facilitate shared decision making (SDM) in order to improve decision quality for elective surgery. The aim of this cluster randomized trial is to investigate the effectiveness of the EKIT tool on decision quality.

Methods

The Value-based TKR study is a prospective pragmatic multi-center, stepped wedge, cluster randomized controlled trial (SW-RCT). The EKIT tool provides (1) a systematic presentation of individual patient and disease-specific information (symptoms, expectations), (2) the fulfillment of the indication criteria and (3) health information about safety and effectiveness of TKR. All study sites will follow routine care as control clusters until the start of the intervention. In total, there will be 10 clusters (study sites) and 6 sequential steps over 16 month, with clusters receiving the intervention with a minimum 2 months of standard routine care. The primary outcome is patients’ decision quality measured with the Decision Quality Instrument (DQI)-Knee Osteoarthritis questionnaire. Furthermore, we will collect information on global patient satisfaction, patient reported outcome measures and the fulfilment of the individual expectations 12 months after SDM. The power calculation yielded an estimated power of 89% using robust Poisson regression under the following assumptions: 10 study sites with a total of N=1,080 patients (including a dropout rate of 11%), a 10% increase in decision quality due to the use of the EKIT tool, and a significance level of 5%.

Discussion

There is a high potential for transferring the intervention into routine practice if the evaluation is positive.

Trial registration

ClinicalTrials.gov: NCT04837053. Registered on 08/04/2021.

Thumb Carpometacarpal Arthritis Surgery: The Patient Experience

BACKGROUND

Patients with symptomatic recalcitrant thumb carpometacarpal arthritis often undergo surgery. Although most surgical patients do well, the authors anticipated that a substantial portion of their thumb carpometacarpal surgery patients would have unsatisfactory experiences and express unmet expectations, dissatisfaction, and regret, regardless of surgical procedure performed. The authors hypothesized those experiences would correlate with patient-reported outcomes scores.

METHODS

The authors identified patients who had undergone trapeziectomy alone or with ligament reconstruction 1 to 4 years previously for primary thumb carpometacarpal arthritis. One hundred twelve patients completed Quick Disabilities of the Arm, Shoulder and Hand and visual analogue scale pain, expectations, satisfaction, and regret questionnaires.

RESULTS

More than 40 percent of patients expected to "return to normal" after surgery for pain, strength, and/or function. Including all patients, 7, 19, and 11 percent had unmet expectations for improvement in pain, strength, and function, respectively. Twelve percent expressed dissatisfaction with their outcome. Although just 4 percent regretted undergoing surgery, 13 percent would likely not recommend the procedure to someone they care about. There were no statistically significant differences for any patient-reported outcomes between trapeziectomy-alone (n = 20) and trapeziectomy with ligament reconstruction (n = 92). Visual analogue scale and Quick Disabilities of the Arm, Shoulder and Hand questionnaire scores were both moderately correlated with expectations being met for pain, strength, and function and for satisfaction with surgical outcome.

CONCLUSIONS

Patients' thumb carpometacarpal surgical experiences vary considerably. Many express dissatisfaction or a lack of expectations met with the two most common procedures. A thorough understanding and review of expectations preoperatively may be uniquely pertinent for these patients. Further research should determine predictors and potentially modifiable factors for unsatisfactory outcomes.

Morbidity and mortality of surgically treated pathologic humerus fractures compared to native humerus fractures

BACKGROUND

Despite an increasing prevalence of patients sustaining pathologic fractures of neoplastic origin, few studies have investigated 30-day postoperative complication profiles after surgical treatment of pathologic humerus fractures. The purposes of this study were to use a large nationally representative database to determine short-term complication profiles after surgical treatment of pathologic humerus fractures and assess how these complications compared with more commonly studied native humerus fractures.

METHODS

Using the National Surgical Quality Improvement Program database, we identified 30,866 patients who underwent surgical treatment for either pathologic (n = 449) or native humerus fractures (n = 30,417) from 2007 to 2017. Thirty-day postoperative complication profiles were ascertained and compared between the 2 groups using χ² analyses. Three logistic regression models were then performed to determine which complications were primarily attributable to the pathologic fracture itself vs. the increased comorbidity burden faced by these patients.

RESULTS

Patients with pathologic humerus fractures experienced significantly higher rates of death (6.0% vs. 0.3%, P < .001), serious adverse events (12.2% vs. 3.7%, P < .001), minor complications (15.8% vs. 4.8%, P < .001), extended postoperative lengths of stay (42.3% vs. 21.3%, P < .001), discharge to facilities (22.3% vs. 13.5%, P < .001), and readmissions (14.8% vs. 3.4%, P < .001) compared with patients with native humerus fractures. With respect to specific complications, patients with pathologic fractures were at significantly higher risk of pulmonary complications (1.3% vs. 0.3%, P < .001), renal complications (0.7% vs. 0.2%, P = .007), thromboembolic complications (1.6% vs. 0.6%, P = .01), and transfusions (15.1% vs. 4.1%, P < .001).

CONCLUSION

After surgical treatment, patients with pathologic humerus fractures had significantly higher complication rates compared with native humerus fractures, suggesting that guidelines and treatment algorithms for native humerus fractures may not be generalizable for those of pathologic origin. These findings have significant implications for preoperative patient counseling and may be used to negotiate higher reimbursement rates for these patients given a significantly higher morbidity and mortality than was previously described in literature. Postoperatively, orthopedic surgeons should closely monitor patients with pathologic humerus fractures for deep vein thrombosis, renal complications, and pulmonary complications, use blood-sparing techniques, and employ a multidisciplinary approach to help manage and prevent a more heterogeneous profile of postsurgical complications.

Early outcomes of primary total hip arthroplasty with use of a smartphone-based care platform: a prospective randomized controlled trial

AIMS

The purpose of this study is to evaluate early outcomes with the use of a smartphone-based exercise and educational care management system after total hip arthroplasty (THA) and demonstrate decreased use of in-person physiotherapy (PT).

METHODS

A multicentre, prospective randomized controlled trial was conducted to evaluate a smartphone-based care platform for primary THA. Patients randomized to the control group (198) received the institution's standard of care. Those randomized to the treatment group (167) were provided with a smartwatch and smartphone application. PT use, THA complications, readmissions, emergency department/urgent care visits, and physician office visits were evaluated. Outcome scores include the Hip disability and Osteoarthritis Outcome Score (HOOS, JR), health-related quality-of-life EuroQol five-dimension five-level score (EQ-5D-5L), single leg stance (SLS) test, and the Timed Up and Go (TUG) test.

RESULTS

The control group was significantly younger by a mean 3.0 years (SD 9.8 for control, 10.4 for treatment group; p = 0.007), but there were no significant differences between groups in BMI, sex, or preoperative diagnosis. Postoperative PT use was significantly lower in the treatment group (34%) than in the control group (55.4%; p = 0.001). There were no statistically significant differences in complications, readmissions, or outpatient visits. The 90-day outcomes showed no significant differences in mean hip flexion between controls (101° (SD 10.8)) and treatment (100° (SD 11.3); p = 0.507) groups. The HOOS, JR scores were not significantly different between control group (73 points (SD 13.8)) and treatment group (73.6 points (SD 13); p = 0.660). Mean 30-day SLS time was 22.9 seconds (SD 19.8) in the control group and 20.7 seconds (SD 19.5) in the treatment group (p = 0.342). Mean TUG time was 11.8 seconds (SD 5.1) for the control group and 11.9 (SD 5) seconds for the treatment group (p = 0.859).

CONCLUSION

The use of the smartphone care management system demonstrated similar early outcomes to those achieved using traditional care models, along with a significant decrease in PT use. Noninferiority was demonstrated with regard to complications, readmissions, and ED and urgent care visits. This technology allows patients to rehabilitate on a more flexible schedule and avoid unnecessary healthcare visits, as well as potentially reducing overall healthcare costs. Cite this article: Bone Joint J 2021;103-B(7 Supple B):91-97.

Factors that influence inpatient satisfaction after shoulder arthroplasty

BACKGROUND

It is important to distinguish satisfaction regarding the outcome of care and satisfaction with the delivery of care. The Consumer Assessment of Healthcare Providers and Systems (CAHPS) surveys are modern assessments of hospitals and providers of delivery of care. The purpose of this study was to report inpatient satisfaction according to Hospital Consumer Assessment of Healthcare Providers and Systems (HCAHPS) and Clinician and Group Consumer Assessment of Healthcare Providers and Systems (CG-CAHPS) scores after shoulder arthroplasty and to determine factors that influence them, as well as their correlation with surgical expectations, pain perception, quality of life, surgical setting, and functional outcomes.

METHODS

All patients scheduled for a shoulder arthroplasty were prospectively asked to complete a demographic and initial shoulder assessment form, a shoulder surgery expectations survey, a pain catastrophizing scale, the SF-12 (12-item Short Form) survey, and a resiliency form (Resilience Scale 11). Patient satisfaction was measured with the CG-CAHPS and HCAHPS surveys. Legacy forms, patient-specific factors, type of surgery performed, location of surgery, length of hospital stay, and discharge disposition were evaluated on their ability to predict these survey scores. Linear regression was used to calculate correlations and predictions of continuous variables, and logistic regression was used to compared the satisfied vs. unsatisfied cohorts.

RESULTS

The average HCAHPS and CG-CAHPS satisfaction scores for the population were 74.7 ± 20.7 and 82.1 ± 19.4, respectively. Nonsmokers had a mean HCAHPS score of 77.7 ± 22.0, whereas current smokers reported a mean of 59.6 ± 5.2 (P = .03). Patients who were discharged home had a mean HCAHPS score of 77.3 ± 21.9, whereas those discharged to a skilled nursing facility reported a mean of 59.3 ± 6.6 (P = .05). These same groups also had significantly higher odds of being satisfied with the hospital. No significant differences or higher odds were seen for comparisons between overall CG-CAHPS satisfaction and any of the patient-specific factors tested. There was no significant correlation between age, length of stay, pain (pain catastrophizing scale), resiliency (Resilience Scale 11), expectations (shoulder surgery expectations survey), or function (SF-12) and both the HCAHPS and CG-CAHPS satisfaction scores.

CONCLUSION

Overall, 37 patients (74%) had CG-CAHPS scores that indicated satisfaction and 34 patients (68%) had HCAHPS scores that indicated satisfaction. Nonsmokers and patients discharged home after surgery report higher levels of inpatient hospital (HCAHPS) satisfaction after shoulder arthroplasty. Patients with high preoperative surgical expectations, pain perception, and resiliency are not generally more satisfied with the hospital or clinician. Preoperative diagnosis, location of surgery, and length of stay do not reliably impact satisfaction with the hospital or clinician. Inpatient HCAHPS and CG-CAHPS satisfaction does not correlate with legacy functional outcome measures and, therefore, may not be predictive of long-term functional outcomes.

Patient expectations predict outcomes following distal radius fracture: a prospective cohort study using the TEFTOM questionnaire

INTRODUCTION

The relationship between patient expectations and clinical outcomes has recently been of increasing interest in the field of orthopaedics. The objective of this study was to evaluate the relationships between (1) patient pre-treatment expectations and post-treatment clinical outcomes, and (2) fulfillment of expectations and patient satisfaction, following distal radius fracture.

METHODS

This was a prospective multicenter cohort study conducted across three hospitals. A total of 133 patients admitted to hospital between 2016 and 2018 with a distal radius fracture were recruited. Patients were administered the Trauma Expectation Factor (TEF) at baseline to measure expectations of pain and functioning at one-year post-injury. Patients were followed up at 6 and 12 months post-injury and outcomes were measured using the Trauma Outcome Measure (TOM), Shortened Disabilities of the Arm, Shoulder and Hand (QuickDASH) questionnaire, and Short-Form 12-item (SF-12) health survey. Fulfillment of expectations was measured as TEF score minus TOM score at each time point. Patient satisfaction was also measured using the Patient Satisfaction Questionnaire Short Form (PSQ-18). Multivariate regression models were created to evaluate the effect of expectations on outcomes.

RESULTS

Patient expectations correlated moderately with outcomes at 6 and 12 months post-injury. In the multivariate analysis, patient expectations were predictive of better outcomes at 6 and 12 months. Injury severity, age, mechanism of injury, and whether the injury occurred on duty also contributed significantly to one or more regression models. Patient satisfaction correlated weakly with fulfillment of expectations at 6 months, but moderately with all outcome scores. At 12 months, satisfaction did not correlate significantly with expectations fulfillment but correlated moderately to highly with all outcome scores.

CONCLUSION

Patient expectations independently predicted outcomes at 6 and 12 months post-injury. Standardized assessment and management of patient expectations may be relevant to future clinical practice and research to best quantify and optimize patient outcomes.

Patients With Higher Treatment Outcome Expectations Are More Satisfied With the Results of Nonoperative Treatment for Thumb Base Osteoarthritis: A Cohort Study

OBJECTIVE

To investigate how satisfaction with treatment outcome is associated with patient mindset and Michigan Hand Outcome Questionnaire (MHQ) scores at baseline and 3 months in patients receiving nonoperative treatment for first carpometacarpal joint (CMC-1) osteoarthritis (OA).

DESIGN

Cohort study SETTING: A total of 20 outpatient locations of a clinic for hand surgery and hand therapy in the Netherlands.

PARTICIPANTS

Patients (N=308) receiving nonoperative treatment for CMC-1 OA, including exercise therapy, an orthosis, or both, between September 2017 and February 2019.

INTERVENTIONS

Nonoperative treatment (ie, exercise therapy, an orthosis, or both) MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Satisfaction with treatment outcomes was measured after 3 months of treatment. We measured total MHQ score at baseline and at 3 months. As baseline mindset factors, patients completed questionnaires on treatment outcome expectations, illness perceptions, pain catastrophizing, and psychological distress. We used multivariable logistic regression analysis and mediation analysis to identify factors associated with satisfaction with treatment outcomes.

RESULTS

More positive pretreatment outcome expectations were associated with a higher probability of being satisfied with treatment outcomes at 3 months (odds ratio, 1.15; 95% confidence interval, 1.07-1.25). Only a relatively small part (33%) of this association was because of a higher total MHQ score at 3 months. None of the other mindset and hand function variables at baseline were associated with satisfaction with treatment outcomes.

CONCLUSIONS

This study demonstrates that patients with higher pretreatment outcome expectations are more likely to be satisfied with treatment outcomes after 3 months of nonoperative treatment for CMC-1 OA. This association could only partially be explained by a better functional outcome at 3 months for patients who were satisfied. Health care providers treating patients nonoperatively for CMC-1 OA should be aware of the importance of expectations and may take this into account in pretreatment counseling.

Association Between Baseline PROMIS Scores, Patient-Provider Communication Factors, and Musculoskeletal Health Literacy on Patient and Surgeon Expectations in Foot and Ankle Surgery

BACKGROUND

Various factors may affect differences between patient and surgeon expectations. This study aimed to assess associations between patient-reported physical and mental status, patient-surgeon communication, and musculoskeletal health literacy with differences in patient and surgeon expectations of foot and ankle surgery.

METHODS

Two hundred two patients scheduled to undergo foot or ankle surgery at an academic hospital were enrolled. Preoperatively, patients and surgeons completed the Hospital for Special Surgery Foot & Ankle Surgery Expectations Survey. Patients also completed Patient-Reported Outcomes Measurement Information System (PROMIS) scores in Physical Function, Pain Interference, Pain Intensity, Depression, and Global Health. Patient-surgeon communication and musculoskeletal health literacy were assessed via the modified Patients' Perceived Involvement in Care Scale (PICS) and Literacy in Musculoskeletal Problems (LiMP) questionnaire, respectively.

RESULTS

Greater differences in patient and surgeon overall expectations scores were associated with worse scores in Physical Function (P = .003), Pain Interference (P = .001), Pain Intensity (P = .009), Global Physical Health (P < .001), and Depression (P = .009). A greater difference in the number of expectations between patients and surgeons was associated with all of the above (P ≤ .003) and with worse Global Mental Health (P = .003). Patient perceptions of higher surgeons' partnership building were associated with a greater number of patient than surgeon expectations (P = .017). There were no associations found between musculoskeletal health literacy and differences in expectations.

CONCLUSION

Worse baseline patient physical and mental status and higher patient perceptions of provider partnership building were associated with higher patient than surgeon expectations. It may be beneficial for surgeons to set more realistic expectations with patients who have greater disability and in those whom they have stronger partnerships with. Further studies are warranted to understand how modifications in patient and surgeon interactions and patient health literacy affect agreement in expectations of foot and ankle surgery.

LEVEL OF EVIDENCE

Level II, prospective comparative series.

Comparison of an Artificial Intelligence-Enabled Patient Decision Aid vs Educational Material on Decision Quality, Shared Decision-Making, Patient Experience, and Functional Outcomes in Adults With Knee Osteoarthritis: A Randomized Clinical Trial

IMPORTANCE

Decision aids can help inform appropriate selection of total knee replacement (TKR) for advanced knee osteoarthritis (OA). However, few decision aids combine patient education, preference assessment, and artificial intelligence (AI) using patient-reported outcome measurement data to generate personalized estimations of outcomes to augment shared decision-making (SDM).

OBJECTIVE

To assess the effect of an AI-enabled patient decision aid that includes education, preference assessment, and personalized outcome estimations (using patient-reported outcome measurements) on decision quality, patient experience, functional outcomes, and process-level outcomes among individuals with advanced knee OA considering TKR in comparison with education only.

DESIGN, SETTING, AND PARTICIPANTS

This randomized clinical trial at a single US academic orthopedic practice included 129 new adult patients presenting for OA-related knee pain from March 2019 to January 2020. Data were analyzed from April to May 2020.

INTERVENTION

Patients were randomized into a group that received a decision aid including patient education, preference assessment, and personalized outcome estimations (intervention group) or a group receiving educational material only (control group) alongside usual care.

MAIN OUTCOMES AND MEASURES

The primary outcome was decision quality, measured using the Knee OA Decision Quality Instrument (K-DQI). Secondary outcomes were collaborative decision-making (assessed using the CollaboRATE survey), patient satisfaction with consultation (using a numerical rating scale), Knee Injury and Osteoarthritis Outcome Score Joint Replacement (KOOS JR) score, consultation time, TKR rate, and treatment concordance.

RESULTS

A total of 69 patients in the intervention group (46 [67%] women) and 60 patients in the control group (37 [62%] women) were included in the analysis. The intervention group showed better decisional quality (K-DQI mean difference, 20.0%; SE, 3.02; 95% CI, 14.2%-26.1%; P < .001), collaborative decision-making (CollaboRATE, 8 of 69 [12%] vs 28 of 60 [47%] patients below median; P < .001), satisfaction (numerical rating scale, 9 of 65 [14%] vs 19 of 58 [33%] patients below median; P = .01), and improved functional outcomes at 4 to 6 months (mean [SE] KOOS JR, 4.9 [2.24] points higher in intervention group; 95% CI, 0.8-9.0 points; P = .02). The intervention did not significantly affect consultation time (mean [SE] difference, 2.23 [2.18] minutes; P = .31), TKR rates (16 of 69 [23%] vs 7 of 60 [12%] patients; P = .11), or treatment concordance (58 of 69 [84%] vs 44 of 60 [73%] patients; P = .19).

CONCLUSIONS AND RELEVANCE

In this randomized clinical trial, an AI-enabled decision aid significantly improved decision quality, level of SDM, satisfaction, and physical limitations without significantly impacting consultation times, TKR rates, or treatment concordance in patients with knee OA considering TKR. Decision aids using a personalized, data-driven approach can enhance SDM in the management of knee OA.

TRIAL REGISTRATION

ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT03956004.

Machine Learning Can Predict Level of Improvement in Shoulder Arthroplasty

The ability to accurately predict postoperative outcomes is of considerable interest in the field of orthopaedic surgery. Machine learning has been used as a form of predictive modeling in multiple health-care settings. The purpose of the current study was to determine whether machine learning algorithms using preoperative data can predict improvement in American Shoulder and Elbow Surgeons (ASES) scores for patients with glenohumeral osteoarthritis (OA) at a minimum of 2 years after shoulder arthroplasty.

METHODS

This was a retrospective cohort study that included 472 patients (472 shoulders) diagnosed with primary glenohumeral OA (mean age, 68 years; 56% male) treated with shoulder arthroplasty (431 anatomic total shoulder arthroplasty and 41 reverse total shoulder arthroplasty). Preoperative computed tomography (CT) scans were used to classify patients on the basis of glenoid and rotator cuff morphology. Preoperative and final postoperative ASES scores were used to assess the level of improvement. Patients were separated into 3 improvement ranges of approximately equal size. Machine learning methods that related patterns of these variables to outcome ranges were employed. Three modeling approaches were compared: a model with the use of all baseline variables (Model 1), a model omitting morphological variables (Model 2), and a model omitting ASES variables (Model 3).

RESULTS

Improvement ranges of ≤28 points (class A), 29 to 55 points (class B), and >55 points (class C) were established. Using all follow-up time intervals, Model 1 gave the most accurate predictions, with probability values of 0.94, 0.95, and 0.94 for classes A, B, and C, respectively. This was followed by Model 2 (0.93, 0.80, and 0.73) and Model 3 (0.77, 0.72, and 0.71).

CONCLUSIONS

Machine learning can accurately predict the level of improvement after shoulder arthroplasty for glenohumeral OA. This may allow physicians to improve patient satisfaction by better managing expectations. These predictions were most accurate when latent variables were combined with morphological variables, suggesting that both patients' perceptions and structural pathology are critical to optimizing outcomes in shoulder arthroplasty.

LEVEL OF EVIDENCE

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

Does prior core decompression have detrimental effect on subsequent total hip arthroplasty for osteonecrosis of the femoral head: A systematic review and meta-analysis

BACKGROUND

Core decompression (CD) is effective in relieving pain and delaying the progression to total hip arthroplasty (THA) for osteonecrosis of the femoral head (ONFH). However, the influence of CD on subsequent THA has not yet been established. Therefore, we performed this systematic review to answer: does prior CD have detrimental effect on subsequent THA for ONFH, especially with regards to survivorship and functional results, as well as perioperative and postoperative complications.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

After registration on PROSPERO (CRD42019118861), literature published up to and including November 2018 was searched in the PubMed, Embase and Cochrane library databases with predetermined terms. Comparative studies on the clinical outcomes between conversion to THA with prior CD (the Prior CD group) and primary THA (the Control group) for ONFH were included. The outcomes of interest included survivorship free from revision, the postoperative functional performance, perioperative and postoperative complications. Data was extracted systematically and a meta-analysis was performed.

RESULTS

Overall, 5 retrospective cohort studies with 110 hips were identified for the Prior CD group and 237 hips were identified for inclusion in the Control group. All of the studies were of high quality in terms of the Newcastle-Ottawa Scale. No difference in the rate of revision between the two groups (2/42 (4.8%) vs. 4/160 (2.5%); RR=1.92; 95% CI=0.34 to 10.75; p=0.46) was detected after a minimum two-year follow-up. The mean postoperative Harris Hip Score was similar between the two groups in all 5 studies. The two groups experienced similar blood loss (Mean difference=12.17ml; 95% CI= -15.28 to 39.61ml; p=0.38). Moreover, intraoperative fracture was increased in the Prior CD group, though this did not reach statistical significance (3/31 (9.7%) vs. 0/55 (0.0%); RR=7.05; 95% CI=0.82 to 60.78; p=0.08). Similarly, osteolysis or radiolucent lines were more likely to occur in the Prior CD group without statistical significance (9/81 (11.1%) vs. 6/200 (3.0%); RR=3.14, 95% CI=0.98 to 10.06; p=0.05).

DISCUSSION

The present evidence indicated that prior CD does not detrimentally affect the survivorship nor hip scores of subsequent THA. Attention should be paid, however, to the potential for intraoperative fracture, postoperative osteolysis or radiolucent lines.

LEVEL OF EVIDENCE

III; systematic review and meta-analysis of level III retrospective comparative studies.

Development and Testing of a Question Prompt List for Common Hand Conditions: An Exploratory Sequential Mixed-Methods Study

PURPOSE

A question prompt list (QPL) is a tool that lists possible questions a patient may want to ask their surgeon. Its purpose is to improve patient-physician communication and increase patient engagement. Although QPLs have been developed in other specialties, one does not exist for hand conditions. We sought to develop a QPL for use in the hand surgery clinic using a mixed-methods design.

METHODS

We drafted a QPL based on prior work outside of hand surgery and then used an exploratory sequential mixed-methods design (both qualitative and quantitative methods) to finalize the QPL. Qualitative evaluation included both a written questionnaire completed by a patient advisory board, hand therapists, and hand surgeons, as well as cognitive interviews conducted with clinic patients using the tool. Revisions to the QPL were made after each phase of qualitative analysis. The final QPL was then evaluated quantitatively using the system usability score (SUS) questionnaire to assess its usability.

RESULTS

A patient advisory board consisting of 6 patients, 5 hand therapists, and 6 hand surgeons completed the written questionnaire. Thirteen patients completed a cognitive interview of the QPL. We completed a content analysis of the qualitative data and incorporated the findings into the QPL. Twenty patients then reviewed the final QPL pamphlet and completed the SUS questionnaire. The resulting SUS score of 78.8 indicated above-average usability of the QPL tool.

CONCLUSIONS

The QPL developed in this study, from the perspective of multiple stakeholders, provides a usable tool to engage and prompt patients in asking questions during their visit with their hand surgeon with the potential to improve communication and patient-centered care.

CLINICAL RELEVANCE

This study provides clinicians with a QPL developed for use in the hand surgery clinic setting, aimed at facilitating more thorough patient-provider discussion.

Comparison of Patients' and Surgeons' Expectations in Foot and Ankle Surgery

BACKGROUND

Aligning patient and surgeon expectations may improve patient satisfaction and outcomes. This study aimed to assess differences in expectations of foot and ankle surgery between patients and their surgeons.

METHODS

Two hundred two patients scheduled to undergo foot or ankle surgery by one of 7 fellowship-trained foot and ankle surgeons were enrolled. Preoperatively, patients and surgeons completed the Hospital for Special Surgery Foot & Ankle Surgery Expectations Survey independently. Differences between patient and surgeon overall expectations scores, number of expectations, and number of expectations with complete improvement expected were assessed. A difference of ≥10 points was considered a clinically important difference in expectations score. Associations between patient demographic and clinical characteristics, major/minor surgery, and individual surgeon with differences in expectations were also assessed.

RESULTS

Overall, 66.3% of patients had higher expectations, 21.3% had concordant expectations, and 12.4% had lower expectations compared with their surgeons. On average, patients had higher expectations scores than their surgeons (70 ± 20 vs 52 ± 20 points, P < .001). Patients expected complete improvement in a greater number of expectations than surgeons (mean 11 ± 7 vs 1 ± 3, P < .001). Patients had higher expectations than surgeons for 18 of 23 items (78%). Items that had the greatest number of patients with higher expectations than surgeons were "improve confidence in foot/ankle," "prevent foot/ankle from getting worse," and "improve pain at rest." Higher body mass index (BMI) (P = .027) and individual surgeon (P < .001) were associated with greater differences between patient-surgeon expectations. Major/minor surgery was not associated with differences in expectations (P ≥ .142).

CONCLUSION

More than two-thirds of patients had significantly higher expectations than their surgeons. Higher BMI was associated with higher patient than surgeon expectations. These results emphasize the importance for foot and ankle surgeons to adequately educate patients preoperatively.

LEVEL OF EVIDENCE

Level II, prospective comparative study.

Mobility Limitation After Surgery for Degenerative Pathology of the Ankle, Hindfoot, and Midfoot vs Total Hip Arthroplasty

BACKGROUND

Surgery for degenerative foot and ankle conditions often results in a lengthy recovery. Current outcome measures do not accurately assess postoperative mobility, especially in older patients. The Life-Space Assessment (LSA), a questionnaire quantifying patients' mobility after a medical event, was used in this study to assess perioperative mobility in total hip arthroplasty (THA) and foot and ankle surgery patients. We hypothesized that patients undergoing elective foot and ankle surgery would have greater postoperative mobility limitation than THA patients.

METHODS

Preoperative, 3-month, and 6-month postoperative LSA data were collected from THA and foot and ankle cohorts. Twelve-month postoperative data were obtained for the foot and ankle group as well. Patient demographics were recorded, and data were analyzed using a Mann-Whitney U test.

RESULTS

Twenty-eight degenerative foot and ankle operative patients and 38 THA patients met inclusion criteria. Only patients aged ≥60 years were included in this study. The mean preoperative LSA score was lower in the foot and ankle group (68.8) compared with THA (74.0), although the difference was not statistically significant (P = .602). THA patients showed a significant increase in LSA score from preoperative (74) to 6 months postoperation (95.9) (P = .003); however, foot and ankle patients showed no significant difference between preoperative (68.8) and 6-month (61.2) scores (P = .468). Twelve months postoperatively, foot and ankle patients showed improvement in LSA score (88.3) compared with preoperation (P = .065).

CONCLUSION

Compared with THA, recovery of mobility after foot and ankle surgery was slower. THA patients exhibited improved mobility as early as 3 months after surgery, whereas foot and ankle patients did not show full improvement until 12 months. This work will assist the foot and ankle specialist in educating patients about challenges in mobility during their recovery from surgery.

LEVEL OF EVIDENCE

Level II, prospective cohort study.

Pathologic Versus Native Hip Fractures: Comparing 30-day Mortality and Short-term Complication Profiles

BACKGROUND

A large body of research on native hip fractures has resulted in several evidence-based guidelines aimed at improving postsurgical care for these patients. In contrast, there is a paucity of data on pathologic hip fractures, and whether native hip fracture protocols are generalizable to this population is unknown. The purpose of this study was to compare mortality rates and complication profiles between patients with pathologic and native hip fractures.

METHODS

Using the American College of Surgeons-National Surgical Quality Improvement Program (NSQIP) database, we identified patients who underwent surgical treatment for pathologic and native hip fractures from 2007 to 2017 and 2601 matched pairs were identified using propensity scoring. Baseline covariates were controlled for, and rates of 30-day postoperative complications and mortality were compared using McNemar's test.

RESULTS

Pathologic hip fracture patients experienced significantly higher rates of death (6.3% vs 4.3%, P < .001), serious adverse events (17.3% vs 13.5%, P < .001), minor complications (34.3% vs 29.1%, P < .001), extended postoperative lengths of stay (30.2% vs 25.9%, P < .001), readmissions (11.9% vs 8.4%, P < .001), thromboembolic complications (3.0% vs 1.6%, P < .001), and perioperative transfusions (31.5% vs 26.4%, P < .001) compared to native hip fracture patients.

CONCLUSION

Pathologic hip fractures result in significantly higher complication rates than native hip fractures after surgical treatment, suggesting that guidelines for native hip fractures may not be generalizable for pathologic hip fractures. Orthopedic surgeons should closely monitor these patients for deep vein thrombosis, utilize blood sparing techniques, and employ a multidisciplinary approach to help manage and prevent a more heterogenous profile of postsurgical complications.

Do dissatisfied patients have unrealistic expectations? A systematic review and best-evidence synthesis in knee and hip arthroplasty patients

End-stage osteoarthritis is commonly treated with joint replacement. Despite high clinical success rates, up to 28% of patients are dissatisfied with the outcome.

This best-evidence synthesis aimed to review studies with different forms of study design and methodology that examined the relationship between (fulfilment of) outcome expectations of hip and knee patients and satisfaction with outcome.

A literature search was performed in PubMed, Web of Science, PsycInfo, Cochrane, and Google Scholar to identify studies conducted up to November 2017. The methodological quality of studies was assessed using the Newcastle-Ottawa Scale.

In this best-evidence synthesis systematic review, the following main results could be seen. In only half of all studies were preoperative expectations associated with level of satisfaction, while in almost all studies (93%), fulfilment of expectations was related to satisfaction. The effect of met expectations did not differ between hip and knee patients or study design.

Fulfilment of expectations seems to be consistently associated with patient satisfaction with outcome. Emphasis in future research must be placed on the operationalization and measurement of expectations and satisfaction to determine the (strength of the) influence of these different forms of assessment on the (existence of the) relationship.

Cite this article: EFORT Open Rev 2020;5:226-240. DOI: 10.1302/2058-5241.5.190015

Patient-Reported Outcome Measures are not a Valid Proxy for Patient Satisfaction in Total Joint Arthroplasty

BACKGROUND

Patient-reported outcome measures (PROMs) are increasingly used as quality benchmarks in total joint arthroplasty. The objective of this study is to investigate whether PROMs correlate with patient satisfaction, which is arguably the most important and desired outcome.

METHODS

Our institutional joint database was queried for patients who underwent primary, elective, unilateral total joint arthroplasty. Eligible patients were asked to complete a satisfaction survey at final follow-up. Correlation coefficients (R) were calculated to quantify the relationship between patient satisfaction and prospectively collected PROMs. We explored a wide range of PROMs including Western Ontario and McMaster Universities Osteoarthritis Index (WOMAC), Short Form-12, Oxford Hip Score, Knee Society Clinical Rating Score (KSCRS), Single Assessment Numerical Evaluation, and University of California Los Angeles activity level rating.

RESULTS

In general, there was only weak to moderate correlation between patient satisfaction and PROMs. Querying the absolute postoperative scores had higher correlation with patient satisfaction compared to either preoperative scores or net changes in scores. The correlation was higher with disease-specific PROMs (WOMAC, Oxford Hip Score, KSCRS) compared to general health (Short Form-12), activity level (University of California Los Angeles activity level rating), or perception of normalcy (Single Assessment Numerical Evaluation). Within disease-specific PROMs, the pain domain consistently carried the highest correlation with patient satisfaction (WOMAC pain subscale, R = 0.45, P < .001; KSCRS pain subscale, R = 0.49, P < .001).

CONCLUSION

There is only weak to moderate correlation between PROMs and patient satisfaction. PROMs alone are not the optimal way to evaluate patient satisfaction. We recommend directly querying patients about satisfaction and using shorter PROMs, particularly disease-specific PROMs that assess pain perception to better gauge patient satisfaction.

Lumbar Spine Fusion Patients See Similar Improvements in Physical Activity Level to Non-Spine Fusion Patients Following Total Hip Arthroplasty

BACKGROUND

The impact of prior lumbar spinal fusion on the change in physical activity level following total hip arthroplasty (THA) has not been thoroughly examined. Therefore, we sought to compare the change in physical activity level following THA for patients with and without a history of lumbar spine fusion.

METHODS

Patients who underwent primary elective THA were identified using an integrated healthcare system's Total Joint Replacement Registry (2010-2013). Prior lumbar spine fusion was identified using the healthcare system's Spine Registry. Physical activity was self-reported by patients and measured in min/wk. Generalized linear models were used to evaluate the association between prior spine fusion and the change in physical activity from 1 year pre-THA to 1-2 years post-THA.

RESULTS

Of 11,416 THAs, 90 (0.8%) had a history of lumbar spinal fusion. Patients with a prior lumbar fusion had a median physical activity level of 28 min/wk prior to THA compared to 45 min/wk in the patients with no history of lumbar spinal fusion. One year after THA, patients with a history of lumbar spinal fusion reported a median of 120 min/wk of physical activity compared to 150 min/wk for patients without a history of lumbar spinal fusion. The difference in physical activity level change between groups was not statistically significant (estimate = -23.1, 95% confidence interval -62.1 to 15.9, P = .246).

CONCLUSION

Patients with prior lumbar fusion were found to have lower self-reported physical activity levels than patients without spine fusion both before and after THA surgery. However, both groups saw the same degree of improvement in physical activity level following THA. These findings may help in counseling patients who have had a prior lumbar spine fusion and in setting appropriate expectations prior to THA.

Characterizing patients' expectations in hip and knee osteoarthritis

PURPOSE

Previous research reported conflicting findings regarding the association of sociodemographic and clinical variables with expectations for surgical outcomes. The current study aimed to identify and characterize different subgroups of osteoarthritis patients with respect to amount and level of expectations, and to examine factors that are associated with expectations.

METHODS

Hip and knee patients (n = 287) completed a questionnaire 1 week post consultation. Linear regression analyses were performed to examine whether sociodemographic (e.g., age, sex) and clinical factors (e.g., pain, function) were associated with expectations. Latent class analysis (LCA) was used to identify different subgroups and the step 3 method was conducted to assess subgroup characteristics.

RESULTS

Mean age of patients was 70 years (SD = 8) and 57% of patients was female. Most improvement was expected in walking ability and pain relief. Higher expectations were associated with younger age, male sex, and functional disability. Both hip and knee patients could be classified into three subgroups. These subgroups differed significantly on pain and other symptoms, and functional disability.

CONCLUSION

Both hip and knee patients reported pain and other osteoarthritis symptoms and functional disability and consequently had high expectations in these areas for treatment outcomes. Higher expectations were characterized by more pain, more symptoms and more functional disability. These insights could guide physicians in the discussion of expectations during consultation.

Changes in Patient Satisfaction Following Total Joint Arthroplasty

BACKGROUND

The primary aim is to identify the degree to which patient satisfaction with the outcome of total hip arthroplasty (THA) or total knee arthroplasty (TKA) changes between 1 and 3 years from the procedure. The secondary aim is to identify variables associated with satisfaction.

METHODS

Data were sourced from 2 prospective international, multicenter studies (919 THA and 450 TKA patients). Satisfaction was assessed by a 10-point numerical rating scale, at 1- and 3-year follow-up. Linear mixed-effects models were used to assess factors associated with satisfaction.

RESULTS

For the THA cohort, higher preoperative joint space width (odds ratio [OR] = 0.28; P = .004), pain from other joints (OR = 0.26; P = .033), and lower preoperative health state (OR = -0.02; P < .001) were associated with consistently lower levels of satisfaction. The model also showed that patients with preoperative anxiety/depression improved in satisfaction between 1 and 3 years (OR = -0.26; P = .031). For the TKA cohort, anterior (vs neutral or posterior) tibial component slope (OR = 0.90; P = .008), greater femoral component valgus angle (OR = 0.05; P = .012), less severe osteoarthritis (OR = -0.10; P < .001), and lower preoperative health state (OR = -0.02; P = .003) were associated with lower levels of satisfaction across the study period. In addition, patients with anterior tibial component slope improved in satisfaction level over time (OR = -0.33; P = .022).

CONCLUSION

Changes in satisfaction following THA and TKA are rare between 1- and 3-year follow-up. The findings of this study can be used to guide patient counseling preoperatively and to determine intervals of routine follow-up postoperatively.

Fast Starters, Slow Starters, and Late Dippers: Trajectories of Patient-Reported Outcomes After Total Hip Arthroplasty: Results from a Dutch Nationwide Database

BACKGROUND

The purpose of this study was to explore whether subgroups of patients with different functional recovery trajectories after total hip arthroplasty can be discerned, as well as their predictors, using data from the Dutch Arthroplasty Register (Landelijke Registratie Orthopedische Implantaten [LROI]).

METHODS

We retrospectively reviewed prospectively collected Oxford Hip Scores (OHS) up to 1 year postoperatively for patients who had undergone a primary total hip arthroplasty. Latent class growth modeling was used to classify subgroups of patients according to the trajectory of functional recovery represented by the patients' OHS. We used multivariable multinomial logistic regression analysis to explore factors associated with class membership.

RESULTS

A total of 6,030 patients were analyzed. Latent class growth modeling identified fast starters (fast initial improvement, high 12-month scores; 87.7%), slow starters (no initial change and subsequent improvement; 4.6%), and late dippers (initial improvement and subsequent deterioration; 7.7%). Factors associated with slow starters were female sex (odds ratio [OR], 1.63 [95% confidence interval (CI), 1.14 to 2.33]) and smoking (OR, 1.95 [95% CI, 1.26 to 3.03]); an anterior approach (OR, 0.47 [95% CI, 0.29 to 0.78]) had a protective effect against a less favorable response. Factors associated with late dippers were age of >75 years (OR, 1.62 [95% CI, 1.22 to 2.15]), smoking (OR, 1.68 [95% CI, 1.17 to 2.42]), American Society of Anesthesiologists (ASA) grade of III or IV (OR, 1.41 [95% CI, 1.05 to 1.91]), obesity (OR, 1.96 [95% CI, 1.43 to 2.69]), poorer EuroQol-5 Dimensions (EQ-5D) Self-Care (OR, 1.41 [95% CI, 1.09 to 1.82] for "some problems" and OR, 2.90 [95% CI, 1.39 to 6.03] for "unable"), poorer EQ-5D Anxiety/Depression (OR, 1.31 [95% CI, 1.00 to 1.71] for "moderately" and OR, 1.86 [95% CI, 1.06 to 3.24] for "extremely"), poorer EQ-5D visual analog scale (OR, 0.91 [95% CI, 0.86 to 0.97] per 10 points), direct lateral approach (OR, 2.18 [95% CI, 1.58 to 3.02]), and hybrid fixation with a cemented acetabular implant (OR, 1.79 [95% CI, 1.00 to 3.21]).

CONCLUSIONS

We discerned fast starters, slow starters, and late dippers after total hip arthroplasty. Female sex, older age, obesity, higher ASA grades, and worse EQ-5D scores were associated with a less favorable response to total hip arthroplasty, as well as hybrid fixation (cemented acetabular implant) and direct lateral approach. Anterior approach had a protective effect against a less favorable response. However, all subgroups experienced functional improvement following total hip arthroplasty.

LEVEL OF EVIDENCE

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

Patient expectations and satisfaction 6 and 12 months following total hip and knee replacement

PURPOSE

To assess (1) patient expectations before total hip (THR) and knee (TKR) replacement; (2) which expectations are met and unmet 6 and 12 months post-surgery; (3) the role of unmet expectations in satisfaction.

METHODS

Questionnaires were mailed to consecutive patients following surgeon referral for primary THR or TKR. Patients listed their own expectations and also completed the Hospital for Special Surgery (HSS) Expectation Survey. We used content analysis to group expectations into themes. At 6 and 12 months post-surgery, patients were given a copy of their own list of individual expectations and reassessed each one as met or unmet. We also assessed fulfilled HSS expectations and satisfaction with surgery.

RESULTS

The sample of 556 patients (49% THR, 57% female) had a mean age of 64 years (SD10). The five most frequent expectation themes were pain relief, mobility, walking, physical activities, and daily activities. Of these, physical activities had the lowest percentage met 12 months post-surgery. 95% (THR) and 87% (TKR) were satisfied/very satisfied with their surgery 12 months post-surgery. Very satisfied patients had a significantly greater percentage of met expectations (96% THR; 92% TKR) than dissatisfied patients (42% THR; 12% TKR). Although most expectations listed by patients were included in the HSS surveys, some were not, particularly for TKR. From 6 to 12 months, there was a significant increase in patient satisfaction for self-care, daily activities, and met expectations for THR and pain relief, self-care, daily activities, and recreational activities for TKR.

CONCLUSIONS

Expectations should be explicitly addressed before surgery, including a discussion of realistic expectations, particularly for physical activities.

Improving patient satisfaction: the virtual breakthrough series collaborative

PURPOSE

The purpose of this paper is to improve the Siloam Hospitals' (SHs) patient satisfaction index (PSI) and overcome Indonesia's geographical barriers.

DESIGN/METHODOLOGY/APPROACH

The topic was selected for reasons guided by the Institute of Healthcare Improvement virtual breakthrough series collaborative (VBSC). Subject matter experts came from existing global quality development in collaboration with sales and marketing, and talent management agencies/departments. Patient satisfaction (PS) was measured using the SH Customer Feedback Form. Data were analysed using Friedman's test.

FINDINGS

The in-patient (IP) department PSI repeated measures comparison during VBSC, performed using Friedman's test, showed a statistically significant increase in the PSI, χ² = 44.00, p<0.001. Post hoc analysis with Wilcoxon signed-rank test was conducted with a Bonferroni correction applied, which resulted in a significant increase between the baseline and action phases ( Z=3.317, p=0.003) between the baseline and continuous improvement phases ( Z=6.633, p<0.001), and between the action and continuous improvement phases ( Z=3.317, p=0.003), suggesting that IP PSI was continuously increasing during all VBSC phases. Like IP PSI, the out-patient department PSI was also continuously increasing during all VBSC phases.

RESEARCH LIMITATIONS/IMPLICATIONS

The VBSC was not implemented using a control group. Factors other than the VBSC may have contributed to increased PS.

PRACTICAL IMPLICATIONS

The VBSC was conducted using virtual telecommunication. Although conventional breakthrough series might result in better cohesiveness and commitment, Indonesian geographical barriers forced an alternative strategy, which is much more cost-effective.

ORIGINALITY/VALUE

The VBSC, designed to improve PS, has never been implemented in any Indonesian private hospital group. Other hospital groups might also appreciate knowing about the VBSC to improve their PSI.

Modifying Patient Expectations Can Enhance Total Hip Arthroplasty Postoperative Satisfaction

BACKGROUND

A better understanding of patient expectations within the perioperative setting will enable clinicians to better tailor care to the needs of the total hip arthroplasty (THA) recipient. Such an approach will promote patient-centered decision-making and optimize recovery times while enhancing mandated hospital quality metrics. In the present study, we preoperatively and postoperatively surveyed THA candidates to elucidate the relationship between patient expectations and length of stay (LOS).

METHODS

This is a multi-institutional prospective study among THA candidates. Patients were surveyed regarding discharge planning 1 week preoperatively and postoperatively to capture perioperative patient expectations and correlate with inpatient LOS.

RESULTS

In total, 93 THAs performed by 6 high-volume orthopedic surgeons at 2 medical centers. Our results demonstrated that patients of male gender and commercial insurance had significantly (P < .05) shorter LOS. Shorter LOS patients demonstrated significantly higher levels of LOS acceptance ("very comfortable" rate in same-day discharge: 75.0% and next-day discharge: 63.8%; 2 days: 40.7%; 3+ days: 42.9%; P < .05) and a higher likelihood to participate in SDD programs. Postoperatively, patients with a shorter LOS had more acceptance to their LOS, albeit not statistically significant (P = .20).

CONCLUSION

Our results suggest that guiding patient expectations within the perioperative setting is an essential component for successful and timely discharge after THA. Having clear and transparent discussion with the surgical team regarding the perioperative course can improve a THA candidate's understanding and buy-in with the postoperative plan, regardless of LOS. Finally, inpatient LOS does not appear to affect patient satisfaction.

LEVEL OF EVIDENCE

Level II, prospective observational study.

Relationship Between Magnitude of Limitations and Patient Experience During Recovery from Upper-Extremity Fracture

The relationship between the magnitude of limitations (measured by patient-reported outcome measures, or PROMs) and satisfaction with care providers and hospital services (measured by patient-reported experience measures, or PREMs) over the course of recovery after injury is unclear. The purpose of this study was to assess the relationship between a range of PROMs and 2 PREMs at 3 time points (initial office visit within a week, 2 to 4 weeks, and 6 to 9 months) after shoulder, elbow, and wrist fractures.

METHODS

We enrolled 744 adult patients with an isolated shoulder, elbow, or wrist fracture and invited them to complete PROMs (the Patient-Reported Outcomes Measurement Information System Upper Extremity Physical Function computer adaptive test [PROMIS UE], PROMIS Physical Function (PROMIS PF) scale, Quick Disabilities of the Arm, Shoulder and Hand [QuickDASH] questionnaire, EuroQol 5-Dimensions 3-Level Index [EQ-5D-3L], and Oxford Shoulder Score [OSS], Oxford Elbow Score [OES], or Patient-Rated Wrist Evaluation [PRWE]) and PREMs (Numerical Rating Scale [NRS] for satisfaction with care providers [NRS-C] and for satisfaction with hospital services [NRS-S]) at their initial visit at the outpatient surgical practice (maximum, 1 week after the fracture), between 2 and 4 weeks after the injury, and between 6 and 9 months after the injury. Correlational analysis was performed at each time point.

RESULTS

There was moderate correlation between the PROMIS UE and the NRS-C (r = 0.56) and NRS-S (r = 0.59) at 6 to 9 months after injury, which was stronger than the correlation at the 2 to 4-week mark (NRS-C, r = 0.34; NRS-S, r = 0.36) and at the evaluation that took place within a week after the injury (NRS-C, r = 0.18; NRS-S, r = 0.16). These correlational trends were observed with all forms of PROMs. Patients reporting greater limitations after injury were also less satisfied with their care and services.

CONCLUSIONS

The increasing alignment of PROMs and PREMs over the course of recovery after an upper-extremity fracture suggests that restored physical function may improve perceptions of satisfaction with care providers and hospital services over time. Future studies should assess factors that could be addressed to improve patient satisfaction and their limitations during recovery after fracture in order to maximize patient outcomes.

LEVEL OF EVIDENCE

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

ANCHOR surgeon views of patient selection and expectations for periacetabular osteotomy

Preoperative expectations impact shared decision making and patient satisfaction. Surgeon views of patient selection, expected outcomes and patient expectations after periacetabular osteotomy (PAO) for treatment of acetabular dysplasia have not been defined. We assessed surgeon views of patient selection and expected outcomes after PAO. A sample of experienced PAO surgeons participated in semi-structured phone interviews assessing: (i) factors that determine patient candidacy for PAO; (ii) surgeon expectations for PAO outcomes; (iii) surgeon perceptions of patient expectations for PAO outcomes and (iv) surgeon perceptions of discrepancies in surgeon and patient expectations and approaches for reconciling these discrepancies. Twelve surgeons (77% of PAO-performing ANCHOR surgeons) participated. The factors most commonly mentioned in determining patient candidacy for PAO were: symptoms, radiographic findings, absence of arthritis and age. Only one-quarter of the sample mentioned patient expectations as a factor in determining patient candidacy for PAO. The most common surgeon expectations were: pain reduction, joint preservation, function with activities of daily living and return to desired activities. 58% of surgeons felt that surgeon and patient expectations align most of the time. Common expectation discrepancies included return to unrestricted activities and complete pain relief. Detailed discussion was the most commonly employed strategy to resolve expectation discrepancies. PAO surgeons felt that patient expectations of complete pain relief and return to unrestricted activities were misaligned with their own expectations. Development of an expectations survey may facilitate shared decision making.

Expectations for Return to Preinjury Sport Before and After Anterior Cruciate Ligament Reconstruction

BACKGROUND

There is limited information about patient expectations regarding return to sport after anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction (ACLR). While it has generally been assumed that patients expect to return, it has also been acknowledged that expectations may change after surgery.

PURPOSE

To investigate return-to-sport expectations before and after ACLR and determine factors associated with changed expectations.

STUDY DESIGN

Cohort study; Level of evidence, 2.

METHODS

The study sample consisted of 675 eligible patients (437 male, 238 female). Return-to-sport expectations were recorded preoperatively. Primary ACLR was performed in 595 patients (of whom 81 had a prior contralateral ACLR) and revision ACLR in 80 patients. At 12 months after surgery, the return to preinjury sport status was assessed along with patients' current sport expectations. The proportion of patients who expected to return to their preinjury level of sport was determined along with actual return rates. Logistic regression was performed to determine the factors associated with the decision to cease sport participation in patients who had expected to be able to return to their preinjury level of sport.

RESULTS

Overall, 84% of patients expected to be able to return to their preinjury level of sport. Expectations were higher for patients about to undergo their first ACLR, with 88% expecting to return, than for those about to undergo revision surgery or second primary ACLR (63% and 80% expected to return, respectively; P < .001 and P = .08, respectively). At 12 months after surgery, 24% of patients who expected to return to their preinjury level of sport had actually returned, and 15% of all patients had already decided to give up sport. In the regression models, being female ( P = .02) and having undergone previous ACLR ( P < .0001) were factors significantly associated with the decision to give up sport participation.

CONCLUSION

Patients had high expectations for returning to their preinjury level of sport at the time of undergoing initial ACLR. Expectations were lower for those who had undergone previous ACLR. Female patients and patients who had undergone previous ACLR were more likely to change their expectations and cease sport participation. These data can be used to provide patients with realistic return-to-sport expectations in the first postoperative year and highlight the challenge for patients who aim to return from multiple ACL injuries.

Internal Validation of a Predictive Model for Complications After Total Hip Arthroplasty

BACKGROUND

Total hip arthroplasty (THA) is projected to increase in prevalence and associated complications will impose significant cost on the US healthcare system. The purpose of this study is to validate a predictive model for postoperative complications utilizing a novel 11-component hip-specific questionnaire encompassing preoperatively available clinical and radiographic data.

METHODS

Consecutive primary THA patients between January 2014 and January 2016 were included. Exclusion criteria included patients without questionnaire scoring variables and less than 1-year follow-up. Patients were stratified into 4 tiers based on their questionnaire score: low risk (>74), mild risk (57-73), moderate risk (41-56), and high risk (<40). A binary logistic regression was performed to determine if the questionnaire predicted complications. Receiver-operator curves were constructed to determine the threshold score below which there was a high likelihood of experiencing a complication.

RESULTS

Four hundred fifty patients were included in the final analysis with a mean (range) follow-up of 2.1 years (1.0-5.9), age of 63.1 years (25.7-9.17), and body mass index of 31.7 kg/m² (17.8-64.5). The complication rate was 13.6%. A hip questionnaire score of 73.8 conferred a 98.5% sensitivity and 98.5% negative predictive value for complications. The questionnaire score was the strongest predictor of a decreased complication likelihood (odds ratio 0.94, 95% confidence interval 0.90-0.97, P < .001). Risk tier was significantly associated with complications (low risk: 0; mild risk: 12; moderate risk: 25; and high risk: 24; P < .001).

CONCLUSION

This novel hip questionnaire demonstrated a high sensitivity and negative predictive value to identify patients at risk for postoperative complications. Future studies should attempt to prospectively validate the use of this questionnaire.